This is a War
by bosco5649faith
Summary: Bosco suffers the outcome of the actions of a monster who does everthing he can to destroy him physically and emotionally. Will he have the strength to win?
1. Default Chapter

"This is a war."  
  
His own comment rang through the back of Bosco's mind laying on the floor silently waiting for the hail bullets to calm, at least for a moment he was hoping so could try and do something about the situation. Unsure if he was injured Bosco kept his eyes locked on Faith's who was facing him on the floor, staring into her eyes he begun to feel numb as he remembered when Faith was lying helplessly on that hotel room floor.   
  
Faith looked into Bosco's stare, his blank look sent chills through her spine and then a hint of panic wondering if he was hit. She slowly pulled her hand out from under her and grasped Bosco's hand. Giving his hand a slight squeeze, interrupted Bosco's thoughts. Bosco blinked and looked back into her giving her reassuring squeeze her hand back.  
  
Together they laid there for what seemed like an eternity keeping their hands linked and eyes locked as if it was the only way of either of them knowing that they were both okay. They listened as bullets were still being heard but appeared to be more distant as they were drawn further down the halls of the hospitals ER. Bosco gave Faith this look that read "is he still behind me". Faith looked up quickly with only her eyes and shook her head no. Letting his grip go on Faith's hand he moved himself to sitting position on the floor looking down at Faith again who also getting up into sitting position and whispered.  
  
"Is everyone alright?" Bosco looked straight ahead at Davis who was getting up from a squat position and then down to Cruz who was slowly getting up.  
  
"Yeah." They said in unison now standing together in group. Bosco reached out for the chair that was lying beside him on the floor to use for support as he tried to picked up his shaking body from the floor. The other 3 cops watched as his arms shook and almost falling back to floor when he finally got to his feet.  
  
"You alright Boz?" Davis asked while Faith walked over to him.  
  
Faith looked at him worriedly and moved jacket aside when she saw a tear in it that could have been made by a bullet. Faith let out small gasp when saw a fair size amount of blood on his side. Bosco winced at her touch and looked down at what it was she was touching.  
  
"It's okay, I think its just a graze"  
  
Faith looked up at him. "Yeah well here sit down anyways." She motioned towards the chair.  
  
"No, we should go out there and make sure everything is alright" Bosco said taking shaky steps past her. Davis took hold of his upper arm.  
  
"Whoa, wait up man. We can't just barge out there we don't know the situation. There could be a gunmen outside that door right now." Davis said pointing towards the door of the waiting room.  
  
"My mother is out there." Bosco said taking his arm out of Davis's grasp. "I need to go make sure she is okay."  
  
"And we don't know where the shooters are." Cruz says stepping in front of him so he doesn't make a move for the door.  
  
"Bosco, they're right we should wait." Faith says shaking her head. "we could walk into bullets if we go out there."  
  
Deciding that he didn't have the strength to fight the three Bosco let out a sigh and took a seat in a chair. "So what the hell are we going to do then, just sit here."  
  
Davis looked down Bosco. "I don't know, its quiet out there. Maybe they left."  
  
"Maybe not." Cruz said while pulling her radio. "Central this 55 Crime Sergeant . We're at Mercy that has been under attack by multiple gunmen."  
  
"Copy that, we already have backup rolling. Do know the current status of the situation."  
  
Cruz answers. "That's a negative, we are currently in the lounge and are unable to get out assess the situation."  
  
"10:4"  
  
As soon Cruz finished radioing central more gunshots were along with distinctive screaming. The four cops shared looks of worry unsure of what they should do about the situation.  
  
"This is crazy." Davis comments. Faith looked at Davis and nodded in agreement. Glancing in Bosco's direction she could clearly the stress written all over him from everything that's happen plus the added worry of his mothers safety.  
  
Taking a seat next to him. "How you holding up?"  
  
Bosco just shrugged not sure how to answer her question.  
  
Faith looked at him with sympathy at his silent answer and then locked her eyes on the growing blood stain taking notice of the fresh deep red blood. "Let me take a look at your wound."  
  
"Its fine."  
  
"Bosco its bleeding pretty bad. You should at least put pressure on it" Faith said while carefully moving his suit jacket to get a better visual of it.  
  
Davis stood in front Bosco and also looked down at the amount of blood that was coming out of him. He then pulled out a hanker chef from his pocket and handed it to Faith.  
  
"Yeah, man you should at least put pressure on it." Davis said when he watch Faith rip the side of his open by the hole that was made by the bullet. Bosco winced when Faith applied pressure to the deep cut.  
  
"Sorry" She said in a quiet voice.  
  
The clicking of the door handle cut through the silence causing everyone to stiffen in fear at who maybe on the other side of the door. Cruz unholstered her gun waiting for whoever it was to come through the door. Breathing a sigh of relief when they saw a familiar face.  
  
"Damn Sul you scared the crap out of us" Davis said with a cross of happiness that he is ok and from the being frightened. "What's going on out there."  
  
"Who ever those guys were took off."  
  
Bosco stood up the second Sully mentioned that they took off and left the room. The four of them quickly followed him but stopped dead in there tracks when they saw Bosco standing just outside the trauma 2 doorframe looking like he just saw a ghost. Doctor Fields whose once white jacket is now basically coated in red put a hand on Bosco's shoulder and sadly shook his head. After doctor Fields a couple of nurses walked by Bosco as well with sympathetic looks on their faces. Faith walked a little bit closer to Bosco but without acknowledging her he stepped into the room.  
  
"Boz." Faith whispered watching him stand a couple feet from the gurney that his mom laid on wishing that he spared himself from going in there to look down at her still body. Faith stood back several feet from Bosco watching him stare down at her while tears streamed down his face.  
  
After an hour of convincing Bosco finally allowed the doctor to take his mom away to the hospital morgue. Bosco remained in the same chair that he was sitting in the whole time he was with his mother but now he was just staring out into an empty room.  
  
Faith stood outside the glass window keeping her eyes locked on Bosco as he sat there silently. Turning her head to the right when she heard soft footsteps come up beside her.  
  
"How's he doing?" Swersky asked quietly. Faith looked at Swersky and drew in a deep breath and looked back at Bosco.  
  
"He hasn't left the room. Won't even let anyone checkout his wound."  
  
Swersky looked at Bosco. "Alright, does he have anyone to stay with tonight?"  
  
"I doubt it. Why?"  
  
"Well we came down to the conclusion that Donald Mann is out to hurt Bosco. He probably wants to destroy him emotionally and then actually kill him."  
  
"God" Faith whispered. "How did you figure that?"  
  
"The doctor that was with his mom said that one of the gunmen came into the directly and fired rounds into her and only her as if it was his job to do so." Swersky said looking at Faith. "It make sense with his brothers sudden death also and so close together."  
  
"I'll stay with him." Faith said while shaking her head is disgust. "But Lieu, its probably best if we don't let Bosco know that all of this happened because Donald Mann is out to get him."  
  
Lieutenant Swersky acknowledged her with a nod. "Give me a call to let me know how things are going."   
  
Faith continued to watch Bosco while Swersky walked away. Knocking softly on the door to the room Faith invited herself in and knelt in front of Bosco.  
  
"Boz you should go get checked out. Lieu thinks it would be best if we just got out of here for the night."  
  
To Faith's surprise Bosco silently nodded and stood up to leave the room. Faith placed a hand on his back and guided him out the room and into the busy ER where fellow officers seemed to stop in mid conversation to look at Bosco as he walked by as if they haven't seen him in 20 or more years. Stopping at the nurses desk Faith quietly asked for one of the nurses to take a look at Bosco.  
  
Never in the 12 years Faith has known Bosco did she not see complain about needing to get a shot. He just sat there quietly while they did whatever they needed to do. Most of the blood had dried so they had to clean it out which looked like a painful procedure, but Bosco didn't do much more then wince at the pain every once in a while. When the one nurses was wrapping the bandage around him another handed a prescription of antibiotics that he had to take all of that night and also some fresh bandages incase he needed to change them.   
  
"You all set?" Faith asked patting Bosco on the leg then helped him to his feet.  
  
"Yeah." Bosco said buttoning his shirt up. "are you going home by cab?"  
  
"Actually if its alright with you we'll go back to your place."  
  
Bosco gave her a questioning look. "Why? Don't you think you should go home to Fred."  
  
"Fred is out of town with the kids." Faith lied hesitantly. "besides Swersky thinks it'd be best if someone stayed with you tonight."  
  
Bosco gave Faith a curious look and shrugged giving in to her request. "Okay, lets go."  
  
Faith and Bosco walked out of the exam room side by side when they ran into Davis and Sasha. "hey guys" Sasha said.  
  
Faith smiled at Sasha and then lightly touched Bosco arm. "I'll see if I can get Lieu to send a car to pick us up." Bosco nodded sadly looking down at the floor.  
  
"You okay Bosco?" Sasha asked.  
  
Without looking up. "Fine" He answered, walking towards the doors. "Tell Faith I'll be outside."   
  
The two cops watched Bosco walk through the sliding doors of the ER into night air.  
  
"You think he'll be okay?" Sasha asked Davis.  
  
"Yeah. I think he will."  
  
Faith made her back over to Davis and Sasha and before she could asked Sasha told her that Bosco went outside. Faith thanked and walked out to meet him.  
  
"Its not smart being alone right now." Faith said walking up beside him.  
  
"Let the bastard come after me. I'll kill him myself." Bosco said seriously.  
  
Faith just look at Bosco with out saying anymore about it, not surprised that he figured it out on his own that Mann is after him. "Come on Lieu gave me the keys to one of the cars. We'll bring it by the precinct tomorrow." 


	2. 2

A/N: If this story in anyway reflects the Season premiere or Season 6 anyway its pure concidence. I don't know anything more then anyone else knows about the new season.   
  
Bosco quietly walked across his apartment with a cup of coffee in his hand careful not wake a sleeping Faith to sit on his couch where he either sat or laid wide awake all night. Placing the coffee mug on the table he picked up one of the pamphlets that he used to plan Mikey's funeral, reading the cover: "Boncotti Brother's Funeral Home"  
  
"Guess I won't be going back there." Bosco mumbled to himself and threw the pamphlet back.  
  
"No probably not." Faith said looking down at the pamphlet. Bosco jumped slightly not noticing Faith had walked into the room.  
  
"Sorry. Did I wake you?"  
  
"No." Faith said taking a seat next to Bosco. "It's only 6 o'clock, what are you doing up?"  
  
Taking a sip of coffee he replied. "Couldn't sleep."  
  
"Yeah, I see that." Faith said. "You should of taken the bed, I would have been fine out here."  
  
Bosco shook his head. "I would of just been sitting up in bed all night then." Leaning back on the couch. "There's coffee in the kitchen if you want some."  
  
Faith studied Bosco's tired face for a moment. "You should go lay down for a bit, I'm awake now anyways." Faith watched Bosco nod in agreement and pull himself off the couch to go to his room.  
  
Two hours later Bosco woke up to the sound of his phone ringing and blindly searched for it on the night stand beside him.  
  
"Hello." Bosco said tiredly in the phone.  
  
"Good morning Bosco." Swersky said. "Is Faith with you still."  
  
"Uh…yeah just a minute." Bosco said and put phone down on the bed beside him. "Faith!" He yelled from his bed.  
  
Faith came to the doorframe of the room. "Yeah?"  
  
"Here, its Swersky. He wants to talk to you." Bosco said holding out the phone for her.  
  
Faith took the phone from him and walked back out of the room. "Hey Lieu."  
  
"Hi Faith, how's everything going."  
  
"Well nothing has been blown up or shot at since we got here so that could be a good sign." Faith said in a half sarcastic tone.   
  
"Are you coming in today?"  
  
"Maybe. Bosco will probably want to, so he can see what he can do about this." Faith said a little quieter.  
  
"Do you think he should?"  
  
"I don't know. He didn't sleep last night and I'm sure he's awake right now." Faith said looking towards his room. "He's going to get himself hurt out there."  
  
"Well I just won't let him on the street if he does come in." Swersky said. "I'll see you later."  
  
"Yeah. Bye." Faith hung up the phone, put it down on the table and looked up to see Bosco leaning against the doorframe to his room.  
  
"What did he want?"  
  
"He wanted to know if we were going in today." Faith said looking up at Bosco.  
  
"Well I don't know about you but I definitely am." Bosco said standing up straight. "I'm going to grab a shower so I can get out of here."  
  
Faith chewed on her bottom lip trying to think of what she could say to make him slow down. Faith walked up to Bosco before got in the washroom. "Boz, I think you should slow. Take off a couple days, you have enough problems to deal with right now than added burden of going into work."  
  
"Slow down? Faith this guy is getting further away for every second we waste standing here talking about it. I'm going to help on this."  
  
The two cops walked through the double doors of the precinct house and was greeted by the Lieutenant at the front desk. Bosco noticed the stares and looks he got from fellow officers and did his best to ignore them as if nothing has happened and immediately went up the stairs to the Anti-Crime unit. With Faith not far behind; Bosco called out for Cruz when he saw her wandering around in one of the offices.  
  
"Hey. What are doing here?" She surprised to see Bosco at all.  
  
"I want to help." Bosco said up front.  
  
Cruz looked at him and then at Faith while walking by them to filing cabinet. "Well this is on Anti-Crime…" she started.  
  
"And I've worked up here before." Bosco said pointing to himself.  
  
Cruz paused for a minute to look over some papers. "What does Swersky think?"  
  
"I haven't spoken to him yet."  
  
"Well if you can get his approval then yeah I'll let you work up here." Cruz said looking at Bosco.  
  
"My approval for what?" Swersky asked behind Bosco.   
  
Bosco turned to face him. "Boss I need to work up here on this."  
  
Swersky glared at Bosco. "No way, its too risky."   
  
"Ah, come on Lieu." Bosco said chasing after him down the hall. "you know it just as well as I do that Donald Mann is after me."  
  
"Exactly why I don't want you on this Bosco!" Swersky said in a stern voice.  
  
Bosco looked him in the eyes. "So what am I suppose to do. Go home wait for a knock at my door so I can get pistol in my face."  
  
Swersky just looked at Bosco in silence and then looked past him to Faith and Cruz who were standing in the hall.  
  
"Swersky, he's got a point actually." Cruz spoke up at his defense. "I mean Mann is going to go after him no matter where he is. He's at least a little bit safer on the job."  
  
Bosco nodded in agreement at Cruz's statement. Swersky hesitated at his response. "Alright." Swersky pointed at Bosco. "Be careful!"  
  
"Always"  
  
"Go get your gear." Cruz said and Bosco immediately went down towards the locker room. Before stepping back into the office she was caught by Faith eyes in front of her.  
  
"Your not working up here. You don't have enough experience in Anti Crime." Cruz said looking at Faith and then made her way back into the room.  
  
"That's not what I'm after." Faith said looking at her side ways.  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"Oh gee I don't know I was kind of hoping you would back Swersky on not allowing him to work. You know, think of his safety." Faith said in an annoyed anger tone.  
  
Cruz looked up from what she was doing for a moment. "I've told you this before, I'm not his mother. He's a big boy he can make his own decisions."  
  
Faith just looked her with disbelief and walked away mumbling to herself. "Yeah and I remember the outcome of that too."   
  
Faith sat in her usual chair during roll call not really paying attention to what Lieu was saying because she had her eyes locked Bosco who was standing across the hall talking with Cruz and a couple of other Anti Crime cops going over there plans for the day.  
  
"Yokas your with Monroe today. That's it. Eyes and ears open out there."  
  
The rustling sounds of people leaving the room died down and Sully, Davis, Monroe and Faith were the only people left in it.  
  
"So the team paired back up, huh" Sasha said. "I still can't believe Swersky let Bosco come back so soon."  
  
Faith continued her stare at Bosco then looked away. "Yeah me either."  
  
Walking out of the roll call room Faith looked at Bosco again when he was exiting the room he was in. Bosco caught her look and he knew what she was thinking immediately but was interrupted by Davis's voice.  
  
"Hey man".  
  
"Hey." Bosco said.  
  
"Bosco!, lets go." Cruz called from the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"See ya"  
  
"Be careful Boz" Faith called after him.  
  
Bosco nodded and smiled weakly at her before leaving to follow Cruz outside.  
  
Cruz and Bosco pulled up at their location outside a warehouse on 96th street where they were told Monkey face Ecstasy dealers may be running the place. Cruz radioed her other two teams to hold their positions until told other wise.  
  
Cruz looked at Bosco for a second. "You ready?"  
  
Bosco got ready to get out of the car. "Yeah."  
  
The two ran up to the side of the building and stood on either sides of the door. Bosco leaned heavily against the wall of the building taking deep breathes feeling a tinge of panic building up 'not now' he thought to himself. Bosco listened to Cruz called into her radio for the other units to move in on their positions.  
  
"Bosco!" Cruz looked at Bosco who appeared to not be paying attention. "Bosco, you with me. Hey!"   
  
Bosco finally turned his attention to her. "What?"  
  
"Stay with me!" Cruz yelled back at him. "Lets go" Cruz said in her radio and kicked in the door. Bosco followed her in close behind.   
  
There were only 5 people in the building 4 of which were lying flat on the floor. Bosco noticed a fifth person making his way towards to the door.  
  
"Hey! Stop!" Bosco yelled running after him. Bosco pulled out his radio running out the door after him. "55 crime I'm on foot pursuit chasing a dealer, white male in a black t-shirt, and blue jeans."  
  
Bosco paused to catch his breath and looked around the alley he went up. "Suspect went down an alley on 98th."  
  
"55 David to central we are approaching 98th we do not have a visual on that suspect" Faith said into her. "Where is 55 crimes location."  
  
'Last location noted was in the alley on 98th'  
  
Faith sped up the RMP towards the alley and quickly turned down and slowed the car down when she spotted Bosco. Faith got out of the RMP.  
  
"Where did he go?"  
  
"I don't know. I lost him." Bosco said while looking around in possible places that he could be hiding. "Damn it!" He yelled into the air.  
  
Faith looked at Bosco with concern "We'll find him" she said reassuringly.  
  
"Come on Bosco we'll give you a ride you a back" Sasha suggested.  
  
"No I'll walk its not that far"  
  
Faith walked into the locker room stopping at the side of Bosco's locker.  
  
"What are you up to tonight?" She asked hoping it involved him with going home to get some rest.  
  
"Making arrangements for funerals" Bosco said throwing his vest in his locker.  
  
"You want some help?"  
  
Bosco looked up at Faith. "Fred still out of town?"  
  
"Yeah" Faith lied again hating how she kept lying about this to him but knew this wasn't the best time to bring it up.  
  
"Suit yourself. Its kind of depressing though" Bosco said closing his locker.  
  
"I think I'll survive"  
  
"I'll meet you outside" Bosco said while walking out the door and Faith kept her eyes glued on him even after the door swung closed. 


	3. 3

Faith and Bosco sat across from each other in a brightly lit kitchen both of them had cups of coffee in their hands going over papers. Faith looked up at Bosco who continued to quietly concentrate on the pamphlets he was going over. Faith's mind wandered to thoughts of whether Bosco would fall into her arms pouring his heart out over what has happen, like 3 years back after the events of September 11 if she would tell him that she wants him back in her life like he used to be. Than she thought about what his reaction could be if she just came out and told him about the separation of Fred, 'would that bring him closer to me', at this time or would it drive him away. Faith continued her gaze at him wishing that he would open up to her trust himself in her like he used to.  
  
Bosco felt her stare and looked up. "What?"  
  
Faith shook away her thoughts. "You find anything you like yet?"  
  
"I guess. I don't know." Bosco placed the pamphlets down and rub his hands over his face. "I'll call these places in the morning. I'm done for the night."  
  
Faith literately ran into Bosco when they were walking out of the kitchen area and he suddenly stopped to turn and face her. Faith looked into his eyes wondering why they were just standing there looking at each other in complete silence.  
  
"You can take the bed again if your staying." Bosco said finally breaking the silence. Faith watched Bosco make his way over the couch.  
  
"You sure? You can take it if you want."  
  
"No it's fine, you take it."  
  
Faith walked towards his room and stopped at the doorframe. Hesitantly she turned around to face him wanting to tell him about what she was thinking before in the kitchen. She looked at him laying on the couch, he had his arms crossed on his chest and his eyes were closed. She opened her mouth to say something but ended up giving in to her hesitation.  
  
"Goodnight." She whispered but must have been loud enough for him to hear because he said it back to her.  
  
Faith woke up the next day to the sound of a door opening than closing. She rolled over in the bed to see Bosco walk by the bedroom in the hallway looking like he just came in from outside. Faith sat up on the edge of the bed straightening her clothes and got up to find Bosco.  
  
"Hey" She said standing outside the kitchen.  
  
Bosco turned to face her. "Hey" Bosco sat down at the kitchen table. "You want some coffee or breakfast help yourself."   
  
Faith helped herself to a coffee mug and poured coffee in it. "So where did you go this morning."  
  
Faith sat down in a chair next to Bosco. "I went down to one of the funeral homes and book a room big enough for 2 caskets, for tomorrow."  
  
Faith watched as his expression sadden. "Now all I have to do is Mikey's from that other funeral home which is roped off as a crime scene."  
  
Faith saw a tear slip down his cheek as he quickly wiped it away. She reached out and placed her hand on his. "Sorry."   
  
"It's okay." Faith laughed inside at herself 'he apologizes for crying now' she thought to herself. "You should of woke me up. I would of gone with you."  
  
"Figured you needed the sleep." Bosco said while looking down at her hand that was still on his. "Your going into work right." he added while nervously removing his hand from under hers.  
  
Faith looked at him oddly over his sudden move. "Yeah. I am." She said quietly "Are you?"   
  
Bosco stood up and walked over to the sink pouring his coffee down drain than rinsing out the cup. "Uh, no I have some things to take care of for tomorrow."  
  
"You going to be okay doing that yourself." Faith said standing beside Bosco at the sink. "I could tell Swersky that I need some loss time."  
  
Faith noticed his nervous behaviour as he moved slightly away from her. She wondered why he acted this way whenever she would get close to him.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be fine."  
  
Faith walked into the locker room around 2:30 that afternoon. Her mind kept focused on Bosco over the concern of his mental state and trying to think of the best way she could tell him she needs him back in her life as much he needed her right now but is obviously to afraid to admit. Faith opened her locker and her eyes caught a picture that was taken nearly three years ago, of a group of cops sitting around in a restaurant during a celebration of one the cops retirement. She looked at Bosco and herself the two of them weren't looking at the camera but looking as though they were enjoying a conversation of their own, smiling or laughing. Faith thought to herself at how much she missed those days with him.  
  
"Hey Faith." Sully said walking in the room.  
  
"Hey" Davis said not far behind him.  
  
"Hey guys."  
  
Sully looked through the lockers. "No Bosco today?"  
  
"No he's home getting things ready for the funeral tomorrow." Faith said from her locker holding one of her uniform shirts picking at one of the patches.  
  
Sully looked at Faith. "You going to get dressed?"  
  
Faith ignored his question. "Hey guys, can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure." Davis said.  
  
Faith looked at them nervously not sure how to ask. "When I was off, how was Bosco?"  
  
Sully looked Davis confused and then walked up to Faith. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I don't know. It just that he seems to be different to me." Faith said walking back to her locker. "I mean not just now, ever since I came back even."  
  
"He took it pretty hard when you got shot, if that's what you mean." Sully said.  
  
Faith looked them. "You know what, never mind." Faith turned to continue getting ready for work.  
  
"No come on, your not going to leave us on this." Davis added wanting to understand why she is asking this.  
  
"Okay" Faith said deciding she would just come out and say it. "You might think I'm crazy for thinking this. But it seems like he doesn't want anyone around him almost like he's afraid to get close with people, depressed."  
  
Sully and Davis just looked at her not sure of what to say.  
  
"He's been through a lot in short amount of time, Faith." Davis says. "He just needs time I'm sure."  
  
"Yeah Davis is right, he'll be fine once this is over." Sully adds. "Lets get out there."  
  
Faith, Sully, Davis and Sasha arrived at the funeral home close to the same time. Together they walked into the funeral home and down the hall to the viewing room. The doors were already open so people could enter the room as they wish. Faith walked in the room first followed by the other 3 to find Bosco sitting in one of the chairs by himself. The four stood back taking in the emotional scene in front of them.  
  
"His Dad isn't coming?" Davis whispered quietly leaning in to Faith.  
  
Faith looked at him surprised. "I doubt it, actually I haven't even thought about it but he hasn't even made any contact since the wake." She whispered back before making her way up to Bosco.  
  
Taking a seat next to Bosco she looked at him for moment but he continued to look straight and with out saying a word Faith sat back in the chair and looked ahead as well. 


	4. 4

Bosco grabbed his duffel bag from the passenger seat of his car parked outside the 55th Precinct house. Slowly walking to the front doors he ignored the looks he got from officers, only looking up if one of them called his name.   
  
Bosco pushed open the door to the locker room at the same time that Faith had pulled open.  
  
"Hey what are doing here. Swersky gave you a couple days off." Faith said following him back into the locker room.   
  
"I told him I didn't need it off." Bosco said opening his locker. "I plan on working anti crime again."  
  
Faith took a seat on the bench next to him. "Bosco. You just buried your family yesterday, you need to take time off."  
  
Pulling his badge around his neck, Bosco stopped for moment before getting up and looked at Faith. "I'm okay Faith."  
  
Faith looked into his eyes and could clearly see the exhaustion but decided not to push it. After a minute of their sharing a look Bosco stood up and left the room leaving Faith to ponder in her thoughts.  
  
Sasha glanced over at Faith who was sitting quietly keeping her eyes glued in front of her.  
  
"You're quiet today." Sasha started.  
  
"Sorry." Faith said glancing over at Sasha. "I just have a lot on my mind."  
  
Sasha kept her eyes on Faith . "About Bosco?"  
  
"The most part." Faith said. "I have to tell him something important but I just can't seemed to bring it up whenever I'm with him."  
  
"How is he doing anyways?"  
  
"He says he's okay."  
  
"You don't believe him?"  
  
Faith turned to face her. "I don't need to believe him, I know him."  
  
Bosco stood his position on the south of the building that they were ready to raid. Gripping his gun he nervously shifted back and forth on his feet as he waited listening for Cruz's call. His eyes were kept focused on the door that he would enter, the waiting was causing the tension to build.   
  
Bosco flexed his jaw muscles and than Cruz's okay was heard. Kicking in the door he rushed in and held down a suspect with weapon.  
  
"Get down… face down on the floor , now!" Bosco yelled and when the suspect did so holstered his weapon and cuffed him.  
  
A fairly large man suddenly appeared in the back the room with an automatic weapon behind Bosco. Going unnoticed to Bosco, who continued patting down his suspect who was in custody. Cruz looked up from what she was doing in time to see the gunmen appear just before he started shooting and yelled "Bosco!"   
  
A hail of bullets was soon flying through the air and everyone took cover as best as they could behind table and desks.  
  
"55 crime, 10:13!…10:13."Cruz yelled frantically into her radio. "Shot's fired, I repeat shots fired. We need assistance at this location immediately!"  
  
'55 crime'….. '10:13'…'shots fired' those word rang through Faith ears as the RMP swerved in and out of traffic with their sirens blaring and lights flashing.  
  
"Come on get out of the way!" Faith yelled from the car when the traffic slowed causing them to reduce their speed.  
  
"We'll get there…just hold on…we'll get there." Sasha chanted quietly.  
  
Bosco watched as the gunmen got closer to the door from his position listening intently to the bullets that and some missing him by mere inches. As soon as he got out the door the bullets stopped and Bosco quickly picked himself up off the floor not even looking back to see if anyone got hit and on pure adrenaline he ran out the door looking down by the bottom of the door was the weapon he used. Bosco look up and down the road and could see the man not far away running. Bosco than took off running after the guy.  
  
"You guys okay?" Cruz questioned worriedly at her officers who were standing up recovering from the event. Cruz looked around the crowd and realized that someone was missing. "Bosco" she whispered at first. "Bosco!" She said moving more quickly to where he was.  
  
Outside the building 55 David and Charlie came to a screeching halt beside the building along with other cars. Faith and Sasha quickly made their way up to inside of the building with their guns drawn. Once inside and saw there was no more danger, Faith noticed Cruz and a group of other officers. Becoming panicked when she didn't see Bosco she quickly jogged up to them and became even more panicked when she heard Cruz calling for Bosco in her radio.  
  
"Where is he? Where's Bosco" Faith frantically asked Cruz.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"What the hell do you mean you don't know."  
  
"I don't know he's…." Cruz started.  
  
"How can you not…" Faith started back.  
  
"I don't know he's just gone!" Cruz finally finished. "He's not answering his radio."  
  
"Uh…Sarge? This could be why?" One of the officer's said picking up his radio.  
  
"Great. Just great." Cruz said taking the radio. She then looked at the opened door. "Come on he must of went out this way."  
  
About 20 different cops went in different directions but Cruz, Faith, Sasha, Sully and Davis didn't have to go far because as soon as they rounded the corner they spotted Bosco not far down the street walking towards them.  
  
"Bosco!" Cruz yelled starting to run up to him, with the others not far behind.  
  
"I lost…" Was all Bosco could get out before Cruz slammed him up against the building held him there.  
  
"You lost your mind that's what you lost."  
  
Bosco pushed her back off of him "What the hell are you doing!" He screamed back at Cruz moving towards and looked like he was going to hit her.  
  
Davis grabbed Bosco and held him back "Bosco calm down man."   
  
"More like what the hell are doing" Cruz said pushing Bosco back again even though Davis was holding on him.   
  
"Cruz!" Sully yelled and grabbed her.  
  
"I went after the guy!"  
  
"I don't care. Your not putting my ass in the hanger over stunts like that." Cruz yelled. Other cops including Lieutenant Swersky has now came up behind her. "I'm pulling you off Anti-Crime for this Bosco."  
  
"Let go of me" Bosco said weakly while pulling himself out of Davis's grasp.  
  
"Go get yourself in the back of that RMP Bosco" Swersky said calmly pointing to his car.  
  
Bosco just pushed his way through the crowd of cops as they watched him make his way to the RMP and opened the door to sit in it. Faith watched as he slammed the door closed and sit there like he just got sent to his room grounded.  
  
"What the hell happened?" Swersky asked Cruz.  
  
"The building we were raiding got ambushed and when he stopped shooting and left the building I got up to make sure everyone was alright. Then I noticed that Bosco wasn't with us I went to where he was to see if he was okay and he was gone. Bosco left the building, I tried radioing him and someone then found his radio in the room so we took off looking for him." Cruz explained  
  
Swersky looked at her for a moment. "Alright I'll take him in to the house. Everyone else get back to their jobs!"  
  
Faith stood where she was and watched as Swersky drove away with Bosco in the backseat.  
  
"Faith?" Sasha said.  
  
Faith turned to her "Yeah"  
  
"Come on. We have a call waiting for us."  
  
At the end of the shift Faith and Sasha walked into the precinct, 'I'll be right up Sasha to help with the reports." Faith said.  
  
"Okay."  
  
Faith walked up to the front desk. "Hey Lieu?"  
  
"What can I do for you Faith?" He asked.  
  
"Is Bosco still here?"  
  
"Nope I sent him home hours ago." Swersky said while continuing his work.   
  
Faith just nodded silently and started to walk up the stairs. "Officer Yokas?" Swersky started.  
  
Faith stopped on the stairs "Yes sir."  
  
"If you see him, let him know if wants to come in tomorrow he can."  
  
A smile broadened across Faith's face. "Thanks"  
  
"Monroe took vacation time, so you can work together tomorrow."  
  
Faith knocked on Bosco's door 3 times before he opened it, "If you're here to yell at me I don't wanna hear it" Bosco said when he opened the door.  
  
Faith looked at him and smiled. "Can I come in?"  
  
Bosco stepped out of the way and Faith took that as an invitation. "So did Swersky come down on you hard."  
  
"No" Bosco said closing the door and locking it. "just told me to go home."   
  
"Well if it makes you feel any better he said you could come in tomorrow. Sasha took some vacation time." Faith said with a smile hoping to lighten the situation.  
  
"Really?" Bosco said surprised.  
  
"Yeah" Faith said and then looking towards his living are. "Boz can we talk for a bit. I need to tell you something."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Faith and Bosco sat on the couch and Bosco waited for her to start. "Bosco, Fred left." She said deciding that there was no easier way of saying it.  
  
"What do you mean he left?"  
  
"He left me. He took the kids and left."  
  
Bosco looked at her in disbelief. "What he can't do that. When did he go?"  
  
"The night after you found out your brother killed." Faith said waiting for a not so good reaction that she didn't tell him sooner.  
  
Bosco shook his head. "I'm sorry"   
  
Faith looked at him surprised at his response "Thanks, but everything is settled out now though. I just needed to tell you."  
  
Bosco nodded. "Thanks for letting me know." Bosco looked at her for a minute and an awkward silence kicked in. "Well if you need anything you can come here, to me."  
  
Faith smiled at him happy and thankful that she finally told him. "You can do the same if you need anything. I know what I said about us staying out each others personal lives before but I would really like for us to be friends like we use to."  
  
"We can do that." 


	5. 5

Bosco and Faith pulled up to their first call of the shift, a routine traffic accident. A silver BMW had ran into the back of another car.  
  
"I'll take the driver of the BMW." Bosco told Faith. Faith nodded and went over to the other driver before she started talking to the driver she took a look at the vehicles. Her gaze stopped at the BMW staring at it for a while she could of sworn she recognized the vehicle. Shaking away the thought she looked towards Bosco to see how he was making out with his driver.  
  
"So what happened here?" Faith heard Bosco ask the driver. Faith then noticed the driver walking slightly backwards and then looked towards her driver who was also keeping his distance. Her instincts took over for a minute as she felt that something wasn't right about the situation. Faith than studied the BMW again and out of the corner of eye she saw it, orange paint at the bottom of the back window. Her mind flashed back to when they arrested that rave fire starter.  
  
"Hey Boz" She said calmly at first and than the screeching sound of tires spinning around corner took away both their attentions. Faith then saw the driver Bosco was talking to take off then looked back to her driver who had also taken off. Time seemed to have slowed down when she saw the window of the SUV come down and automatic weapon appeared aiming towards Bosco.  
  
"BOSCO!" Faith screamed as loud as she could before the shots were fired Faith took cover behind the vehicle she was standing by and took out her weapon and begun blindly shooting towards the vehicle.   
  
Bosco turned to face Faith at her scream thinking she was in trouble just as the shooting started. Standing unable to move quick enough Bosco felt the heat of the bullets ripping through his body sending him to the ground with a thud. Laying on his side he could feel and hear his blood rushing up his throat and to his ears. Using only his eyes, Bosco began to panic when Faith was no longer in his view. Trying muster up the strength to call out for Faith; Bosco inhaled a painful breath but all he could get out was a loud groan.   
  
After the SUV left Faith stood and followed the vehicle with her eyes. Her attention was brought back to focus by the sounds of her partner screaming out in agony.  
  
Faith quickly put away her gun and grab her radio running to Bosco. "10:13 officer down! I repeat officer down. I need EMS and assistance."  
  
"Bosco!" She screamed out before kneeling beside him in an already growing pool of blood around him. "Bosco where you hit ?… where you hit?" Faith asked panicked while ripping away at his shirt.  
  
"Faith" Bosco said in a hoarse whisper. "its…its bad isn't it?"  
  
Faith peeled back his vest and through teary she looked at the damage. "O-oh gawd." Faith cried out then placing her hands on his muscular chest that is now coated in a thick layer of blood.  
  
Faith look into Bosco face to see his eyes beginning to roll to the back of his head and his breathing almost non existent except for a small gasp every once and a while. Faith placed one of her blood cover hands on the side of his face not caring if was making a mess and leaned in close to his ear. "Boz stay with me…help is almost here." Watching as a couple of her tears land on his cheek and looked at his mouth as it opened slightly to gasp for another breath. Faith caressed his cheek and encouraged him to breath. "Come on…come on just breathe."   
  
Faith looked up as she heard sirens approach and saw Davis and Sully pushing their way through the growing crowd around the two officers.  
  
"Ah, damn." Davis cried before landing on a thud on his knees beside Bosco and immediately took hold of one of his wounds.  
  
"Alright I need this crowd to leave now!" Sully yelled pushing back the crowd.  
  
Bosco's vision blurred increasingly as time went on and the tightness in his chest soon became so intense that it started to go unnoticed. He watched as the shadowy figures around him blended in slowly with the background as it started to become dark as well. Bosco's body began shake from the shock of being deprived of oxygen under the helping hands of Faith and Davis. The last thing he heard was Faith's stuttered cry "no-o"  
  
Faith kept her eyes locked on Bosco's shaking body and how it eased and became still after his eyes finally rolled to the back of his head unable to fight anymore.  
  
Sirens of the ambulance came to a screeching halt and Carlos and Levine rushed to their side pulling away Davis and Faith. They stood not far them as they listened to the two paramedics yelled out things, but they only understood two things, not breathing and no pulse. After they got an IV going Carlos got out the paddles and shocked Bosco to try and get a pulse back in between shocks Levine would step in and do compressions.   
  
Davis, Sully and Faith watched in horror as Carlos shocked Bosco for the third time leaving a lifeless body to lay on the ground. Suddenly like a miracle was sent over a faint beep started to show up on the heart monitor.  
  
"Alright we got a weak pulse, its not much but its something." he said. "lets tube him so we can him out of here. I need someone to drive."  
  
"I'm in." Levine said after she got the tube and bagged him giving Bosco oxygen.  
  
Faith got in the back of the ambulance sitting next to Bosco she took hold of his hand looking into his unconscious face silently pleading for him to stay with her.  
  
The two minute drive to Mercy seemed like an eternity but was once they pulled up not even a second was wasted as the doors to the ambulance flew open before it even had chance to completely stop. The gurney Bosco was on disappeared out the ambulance so fast that Faith forgot to let go of her grasp on his hand so it was ripped away from her leaving his arm to dangle off the side of the gurney lifelessly.  
  
Rushing in through the ER doors Faith followed the gurney to as far the trauma room doors before she became separated from Bosco. Faith watched as the nurses cut away at his uniform and throwing the items to the floor. His gun belt hit floor with a smash causing whatever was attached to it scatter around the floor. Her eyes kept going back to the blood that was gathering around the gurney in small puddles. A hand placed on her shoulder took away her attention from the horror show in front of her.  
  
"Faith." Swersky said gently guiding her away from what she was watching. Stepping into the lounge Faith was greeted with worried faces from fellow officers including Sully and Davis. Sully put a hand on Faith's shoulder.  
  
"He'll be alright." He said hoping to encourage the situation.  
  
"Faith, I need to know what happen out there and if we can connect this Donald Mann." Swersky said.  
  
Faith took a deep breath before starting. "We got a call about a traffic accident, a BMW ran into the back of another car. The next thing I knew was this SUV came racing around the corner and started firing."  
  
Faith looked around at the faces who were listening carefully. "The whole thing seemed kind of weird to me too."  
  
"How so?" Swersky asked.  
  
"Well at first I didn't think much about it but I thought I recognized the BMW from that rave fire when we arrested the fire starter. Then I noticed the guy who Bosco was talking with kept moving away from him, then I looked back at the BMW, I noticed this orange paint on the back window and by the time I realized the image it drew out all hell broke loose."  
  
"What was the image?"   
  
"It was a Monkey Face. Like the ones on the ecstasy tabs." Faith answered.  
  
"So it was connected to Mann" Cruz said from the doorway and everyone turned to face her when she spoke.   
  
Davis let out a sigh. "Damn this has to stop."  
  
"Lieu do you think anyone has picked up Bosco's stuff yet?" Faith asked getting an idea.  
  
"Maybe. Why?"  
  
"I was just thinking Bosco took down this guys information. If we find him he must be working closely with Mann." Faith said taking a seat.  
  
Cruz nodded her head. "It would definitely bring us closer to Mann if we find him. I'll go check it out."  
  
"Keep me notified." Swersky said before Cruz left. "I'm going to go call the house to see if we can get a trace on that 911 call, we have to move fast on this."  
  
Close to twenty minutes later a nurse came in to tell everyone that Bosco went up surgery. Sully, Davis and Faith went up to wait in the surgical waiting room where it would be more private because reporters had already begun to and bombarding them with questions.  
  
"You guys want some coffee I was just going to grab some." Sully asked.  
  
Faith looked up from her stare on the floor. "Yeah that would be great Sul, thanks"  
  
Sully was about to get out the door when Sasha came running in. Sully nodded at her acknowledging her and continued on his journey out the door.  
  
"Hey." She said a little out of breathe from practically running all the way from the ER. "I just heard on the news. I came as soon as I could. What happened?"  
  
Davis greeted her with a hug. "Uh…its Bosco. He got hit pretty bad." Sasha looked at Faith with sad eyes and went to sit next to her. Giving Faith a hug she asked "Was it connected to Donald Mann."  
  
"Yeah. We're fairly sure about that." Davis answered.  
  
Sully walked in the room the coffees, while handing one off to Davis then Faith he said. "I just spoke to Swersky and it looks like we are one step closer to finding Donald Mann. That driver of the BMW worked with Joey Mann his son. He has some cops going to bring him in, thanks to Bosco for getting his information down."  
  
"Good at least we're getting somewhere in this." Faith said while pulling a few fallen strands of her hair back. "We need to find him fast."  
  
Four hours of waiting went by slowing with plenty of pacing back and forth and way too much coffee until finally a doctor came to explain Bosco's condition and to tell them that it was okay for them to see him.   
  
"Officer Boscorelli had suffered three gunshot wounds, one to the abdomen and two to the chest. The bullet that had entered his abdomen punctured his stomach, the second bullet had collapsed his right lung and the third grazed the side of his heart causing the most damage out all of it but was repaired it as much as it could have been. Its going to be a long recovery but he should heal close to 100%."  
  
Those statements repeated itself through Faith's mind as she sat at Bosco's side quietly in ICU listening as the ventilator breathed oxygen into him. Faith allowed her eyes to travel the length of his body that was covered by a thin sheet to just bellow his ribs, his chest wrapped in bandages. Looking at the various tubes and wires often caused her to turn away. The unnerving feeling went away when she thought back to when she first went to his side taking his hand into hers and Bosco opened his eyes for a small second even though they opened no more than a silt it sent the biggest smile across her face. Faith continued thinking about that half a second giving herself a reassurance that the fighter side of the old Bosco she knew was still there.  
  
"Hey guys." A soft whisper came from the doorway. Sasha, Davis and Faith turned to see who it was. Cruz walked in closer and her eyes widen a small bit as she got her first glance at Bosco before she started.  
  
"Uh…I'm not going to stay long…but uh…I just wanted to let you know that we found the driver of the BMW through Bosco's information he wrote down." Cruz said than finally taking her gaze away from Bosco recollecting herself. "We just brought him in an hour ago."  
  
"Good" Faith told her quietly. "Did you get anything out of him yet?"  
  
"Not yet." Cruz responded. "I just wanted to come see how he was doing first and let you know."  
  
Faith just nodded in response. Cruz looked at Davis and Sasha for a moment and than back to Faith. "Well.. I should get back, I'll keep you posted."  
  
Faith was given permission to stay at Bosco's side all night by his doctor. Davis and Sasha left for home for the night but said they would come back before the shift tomorrow. Faith moved her chair in closer to the bed, laying her head down on the bed she linked her fingers with his to hold his hand and closed her eyes to fall asleep at his side. 


	6. 6

The door to the interrogation at the 55th precinct closed quietly as Cruz and Swersky walked into the room.  
  
"Welcome to the 55th precinct "john". Cruz started. "I'm going to let you know this once, you will be a completely confidential informant no one will know you were ever here giving us this information. Although if you do not cooperate we do have a New York City Police Officer hanging on to life by a thread right now in ICU who by the way got shot in your presence and that will be held against you."  
  
"You can't prove I was there."  
  
Cruz looked back at Lieutenant Swersky and smiled. "You see that's where you go wrong. Going up a police officer for a witness is not an easy thing. Now all I want to know is where I can find Donald Mann, you tell me that and I'll let you go, you can walk away like we have never met."  
  
"You don't find Donald Mann; he finds you" He smiled.   
  
Cruz slid the chair out from under the table. "I'm starting to lose my patience with you, where do we find him?!"  
  
"I don't know where to find him, but I do know someone who will."  
  
Swersky stepped up from the wall. "Who?"  
  
The informant shifted in his chair getting more comfortable. "You'll keep me out of it."  
  
"Yes, like I told you as if you were never here." Cruz said calmly.  
  
"Alright, this guy he's been working close with Donald Mann because he owes him a lot of money. He works out of his loft in Soho, been running the ecstasy for the last couple of months out of it. This guy is not very smart either…"  
  
"Enough with the chit chat who the hell is he and give me an address."  
  
"The names is Boscorelli, Anthony. Anthony Boscorelli lives off of …." The informant watched as Cruz left a hurry before he finished. "hey I thought you wanted the address!" He shouted after her.  
  
"Swersky keep him in a holding cell until we get back." Cruz said to him.  
  
"Alright, but hold up this Boscorelli's father right?"  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
Swersky looked at her for a minute. "Nothing, just take it easy we don't want to put anymore danger on Bosco than there already is."  
  
Cruz rounded up her team and made her way out.  
  
Faith sat Bosco's side watching as he slept in the dimly lit room only lit by the small light over the head of the bed. Leaning on the side of the bed holding her head up by her hand she caressed the palm of his hand that laid next her with her fingers and keeping her eyes locked on his face. Faith passed the time by thinking of all the great memories she had with Bosco and how much she hoped she'd have more of those days ahead of her. Her thoughts were interrupted by the smell of coffee behind her, Faith turned her head and was greeted with a smile from Sasha who had an extra cup of coffee in her hand.  
  
"Here, it's not like you haven't had enough of it lately though."  
  
Faith let out a soft laugh. "Yeah thanks."  
  
"So how's he doing today?" Sasha said taking seat by the wall.  
  
"There's no change, he hasn't woken up yet today."  
  
Sasha nodded and stole a glance at Bosco standing up to get a better look. Standing by his head she looked down at him. "We are all working hard on this, Boz. We're not giving up." Sasha gave Bosco's hand a squeeze.  
  
Faith smiled at Sasha's comment. "Is there anything new yet on this."  
  
"Ty, is calling the house right now see if there is anything." Sasha said still looking down at Bosco.  
  
A soft knock at the door drew both of their attentions away from Bosco.  
  
"Hey come in." Faith said to Davis  
  
Davis remained where he was looking uneasy. "No…ah…I've got to talk to you guys. It's best that I don't say anything by Bosco incase he can hear us."  
  
Faith looked at him worried with what this was about. "Okay." She walked out of the room and into the hall where she could still keep an eye on Bosco.  
  
"What's going on Ty?" Sasha asked.  
  
"I just spoke to Lieu and their informant gave us Bosco's dad's name as the person who would know how to find Donald Mann." Davis looked at the two of them before continuing. "Cruz went to pick him up a while ago."  
  
Faith let a sigh and paced back to the frame. "Are they sure?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah…" Was all Faith heard when out of the corner of her she saw Bosco moving around slowly in bed.  
  
"Boz?" Faith said as she quickly came to his side taking hold of his that making its way up to the ventilator tube. Faith placed her his forehead. "It's okay Boz, just leave it alone and you'll be fine."  
  
At the sound of Faith's voice he opened his and started to panic a little when becoming more aware of his surroundings and the feeling of the tube down his throat. Bosco looked into Faith's caring eyes that soon narrowed with concern when he squeezed her hand and tried to say something.  
  
"Don't try to talk Boz. I'll page for a nurse, okay." Faith watched Bosco nod his head slightly squeezing his eyes closed keeping his grip on Faith's hand.  
  
Faith smiled and stroked his hair. "You're okay…you're okay." She soothed.   
  
Cruz and her crew stood outside of Anthony Boscorelli's apartment with their guns drawn ready to raid the place. Cruz mouthed her countdown to be sure that no one on the inside heard her. On her count of three her male partner kicked down the door with a loud thud. Rushing into the apartment one by one they canvassed the apartment. A startled Anthony came flying out of the kitchen and was immediately dropped to his knees by police officers.  
  
"Get your hands behind your back now!" Cruz yelled keeping her weapon pointed at him.  
  
"What the hell is going on?!" Anthony yelled while being dragged to his feet.  
  
"Where've you been…huh.?" Cruz asking getting up in his face. "Nice to see you again. Lets go."  
  
Faith stood a couple feet away from Bosco as the doctor and nurses attended to Bosco while removing the ventilator tube from his throat to make sure he would be able to breathe. As the nurse and the doctor left Faith gave them a soft smile and made her way back to Bosco's side when she caught his gaze.  
  
Faith smiled as she sat down with their eyes locked on one another, she took hold of his hand. "You feeling better now?" Faith asked softly.  
  
Bosco nodded "Yeah" he said quietly then drawing in a deep breathe closing his eyes from the stinging pain in his chest.  
  
"Just take it easy, okay." She told him soothingly.   
  
Bosco reopened his eyes and looked at Faith. "What happened?…all I remember…is hitting the ground." He said becoming breathless causing one the monitors to briefly beep out of sequence.  
  
Faith stood up lowered herself on the bed straddling her arms around his torso. "I thought I told you to take it easy."  
  
"Just ask a…question."  
  
Faith smiled at his attempt to be stronger than he really is. Faith looked down at his chest than back up at his face. "You got shot 3 times, once in the abdomen and twice in the chest. The one in the abdomen put a hole in your stomach so you can't eat any solid foods for a while. The two in your chest, one collapsed your lung but the other grazed against the side of your heart leaving some damage that will take longer to heal."  
  
Faith stopped to observe his reaction.   
  
"Any good news?" Bosco asked exhausted.  
  
"The information you got from that driver let us get closer to finding Donald Mann." She told him hoping to cheer the situation. Faith watched as Bosco's eyes drifted closed after her last comment. Smiling down at him she brushed her hand along the side of his face staying where she was sitting for a little while longer until she was sure Bosco had fallen asleep.  
  
Faith walked down to the nurses desk to ask if she could use the phone. She dialed the number to the precinct, after a couple rings the Lieutenant at the desk picked up the phone.  
  
"Hey Lieu its Faith."  
  
"Hi Faith. How is everything going?" Swersky asked happy that Faith had called.  
  
"Good. Bosco's awake now." Faith said while eyeing his room from where she was standing. "I was hoping you could update me on the situation."  
  
"Well Cruz just walked in with Anthony, who by the way is not very happy. We'll see what we can get out of him and I'll let you know."  
  
"Okay, thanks that would be great. Bye." Faith said before hanging up the phone.  
  
"I don't understand why I'm here." Anthony said harshly towards Cruz.  
  
"You don't! Well that's a shame because we have a confidential informant who does know why." Cruz said taking a seat across from her. "How about you stop playing these games with everyone."  
  
"I have no idea what your talking about." He said looking away.  
  
"Well lets see if I can help you with that." Cruz said taking a sip of her coffee. "So how well do you this Donald Mann."  
  
Anthony gave her a silent guilty look but lied. "I don't know any Donald Mann."  
  
Cruz moved in closer to his face. "You're lying I can see it in your face." Cruz sat back in her chair crossing her arms over her chest. "So tell me why didn't you go back to the wake?"  
  
"A car drove into it I couldn't of gone back." He said.  
  
Cruz smiled slyly. "How'd you know a car drove into it if you didn't go back?"   
  
Anthony just looked at her quietly realizing he dug himself into a hole. "Or better yet why didn't you to Mercy to make sure your family was safe. Perhaps you knew those gunmen were going to show up. Your wife's dead and you don't even care."  
  
"First of all she's my ex wife and second I didn't know she was dead." He said becoming more nervous.  
  
"Why didn't you call to find out. Why?" Cruz said looking into his nervous face knowing she was getting somewhere with him. "Did you know or should I say care that your son Maurice got shot 3 times because of this son of a bitch Mann. Yeah he's in the ICU trying not to die right now." Cruz said starting to lose control of her emotions.  
  
Anthony looked down at the table. "I want a lawyer." 


	7. 7

"Maurice?"  
  
"Ma?"  
  
"Maurice! Help me."  
  
"Ma?! Where are you?" Bosco started yelling becoming panicked as ran through the endless dark.  
  
"Maurice!" Her cries became more frantic. Bosco could hear her screams becoming clear as he continued through the dark.  
  
"Ma! Ma! I can't see you. Where are you?" Bosco yelled while running faster towards the voice but ended up running into a large a object.  
  
"Maurice help!" Turning his attention upwards recognizing the object he had ran into as a car and realizing the voice was coming from the other side. Bosco quickly ran around the car falling to his knees at her side taking her hand into his.  
  
Snapping her eyes open and looked into her son's "Why didn't you help me?" She said sadly. Those words echoed through his head as he scanned the length of her body looking in horror as he saw the bullet wounds all over body trapped under the car.  
  
Tears streamed down Bosco's face "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" He repeated over and over looking into her deathly eyes.  
  
Faith stood up quickly when she heard Bosco's painful cries. Becoming worried when she was unable to make out what he was saying Faith took hold of his hand so she could sit on the edge of the bed. Bosco begun to move his head from side to side with his cries becoming a little louder Faith took hold the side of his face.  
  
"Boz?…Bosco wake up. Bosco open your eyes for me." Faith asked becoming more panicked.  
  
Sasha took her placed on the other side. "Should I get a doctor?" She asked as she looked at Bosco in concern.  
  
"I don't know." Faith said. "Boz, come on wake up." she squeezed his hand and brushed his hair back. Bosco jerked awake at the feeling.  
  
Looking around the room, he met with the gazes of worried friends. Bosco than felt a sudden sharp pain rip through his chest and he closed his eyes.  
  
"Ahhh, Faith…Faith it hurts" Bosco said while gasping for deep breathes. "Oh gawd it hurts."  
  
Sasha looked down at him worriedly and quickly left the room to find a doctor. Faith wiped away the sweat on his forehead with a cloth while Bosco kept his tight grip on her hand.   
  
"Boz it's okay calm down" She soothed concerned looking up at Sully and Davis who had looks of terror on their faces.  
  
"It hurts." Bosco whimpered again.  
  
"I know…I know." Faith told him trying to calm him down. "Sasha went to get a doctor. Just hold on."   
  
Faith looked up just as a doctor and Sasha came running in the room. "What's the problem" He asked while taking his stethoscope from his neck to listen to Bosco's heart.  
  
"I don't know, he just woke up in a lot of pain."  
  
"Officer Boscorelli where does it hurt?" He asked while taking in Faith's comment.  
  
"Ev-everywhere." Bosco stuttered in pain.  
  
"Okay, I'm going to give you something to help take the edge off." The doctor said while preparing a needle then sticking it in the IV. "Just try to take normal breaths and let medication work, you need to calm down first though or else it won't work."  
  
The doctor amongst everyone else watched as Bosco begun to calm and take calmer breathes. "Hows the pain now? Is it going away?"  
  
Bosco just nodded as his answer.  
  
"Where's the pain the most?"  
  
"Chest." Bosco whispered.  
  
"Is it a sharp pain or a dull pain?" He asked while writing down the information for his records.  
  
Bosco swallowed and took a deep breath. "Sharp."  
  
The doctor looked at him concerned. "Is it still sharp even as it goes away." He watched as Bosco nodded yes with his eyes closed. Stepping out of the room, he stopped a regular nurse on the ward.   
  
"Would you have Dr Green page me please." The doctor then turned to face 4 worried faces. "Dr Green is a cardiologist here I'm going have him come take a look at Bosco to make sure that everything is okay."  
  
He smiled at them slightly. "I'll be back in a bit."  
  
Faith paced the waiting room where she was told she would have to wait while Bosco was being examined. Sully, Sasha and Davis were sitting in the chairs watching as Faith nervously paced back and forth.  
  
"Faith." Davis said finally having seen enough of her pacing. "Take a seat. I'm sure he's fine, alright, they're just performing a simple test."  
  
Faith stopped pacing. "Bosco hates that kind of stuff, I wish they would of let me stay in there."  
  
"Just take a seat."  
  
Faith sat in the chair next to him and then turned to face him. "What if something is really wrong with him and they can't do anything to fix it."  
  
Davis put one of his hands on her shoulder and was about to tell her to calm down again when she jumped up out of her chair because a doctor walked in the room.  
  
"Is he okay?" Faith asked wasting no time.  
  
The doctor smiled at her concern. "Well considering the injury he received he's healing nicely and for the last 45 minutes of the test we put him through I didn't see anything unusual. There is some scar tissue but that is perfectly normal and shouldn't affect him in anyway. As far as what's causing the pain is a mystery and more than likely will go away on it's own." The doctor then opened the door and left to see his other patients.  
  
Davis turned to face Faith. "You see nothing to worry about."  
  
"Yeah" Faith whisper as she left the room not believing either of them.  
  
Cruz stood outside the interrogation room watching as Anthony and his lawyer exchanged words. Lieutenant Swersky walked up next to Cruz.  
  
"That is his lawyer?" He asked  
  
Cruz drew in a deep breath. "Yeah, that's his lawyer alright."  
  
"Isn't he…"  
  
"Yeah that's him, Lester Martin himself." Cruz says keeping her eyes locked on the two. "Can't wait to get into this one." She said sarcastically making her way to the door when she was waved in.  
  
"Nice to see you again Sgt. Cruz." Lester said standing up and extending his hand out to her.  
  
Cruz just gave him a non-amused grin. "Let's just get this over with."  
  
"Well first I'd like to start with, does my client here have any evidence to hold him against this?"  
  
Cruz shook her head. "No we are not holding him against anything we just want to ask him some questions."  
  
"I'm sorry but is not correct that you barged into his apartment and place him under arrest?"  
  
"We have an informant that told us that he is dealing out of his place, but like I said that is not why he's here." Cruz said becoming annoyed with his lawyer's questions. "Anthony all we want to know is where Donald Mann is hiding."  
  
"And he told you he does not know Donald Mann and unless you can come up with proper evidence that he does know him then I suggest you let my client go."  
  
Cruz glared at Lester. "Fine we'll be in contact."  
  
Lester closed his brief case and stood by the door opening it for them "It's been a pleasure meeting you again."  
  
Cruz brushed by him and looked down the hall as Anthony walked away. "Don't go far Boscorelli!" She watched in disgrace as he never even turned around once.   
  
Cruz jogged down towards the front desk. "Lieu, I'm going over to Mercy for awhile let me know if anything comes up."  
  
Cruz walked into the hospital room to find Faith, Sasha, Davis and Sully sitting around the bed talking quietly amongst themselves. She knocked on the door before entering.  
  
"Hey, is he awake?" She asked softly.  
  
"Yeah, Why?" Faith asked looking at Cruz curiously as she walked closer to Bosco.  
  
"I need to talk to him."   
  
Faith stood knowing what she wanted to talk to him about. "He doesn't know." Faith said quietly looking Cruz in the face.  
  
"Know what?" Bosco said weakly after waking up from hearing their conversation.  
  
Cruz walked around to the other side of the bed close to his face. Bosco followed her with his eyes as she got closer. "We're trying to talk to your father, Bosco."  
  
Bosco looked at her confused. "About what?"  
  
"He knows Donald Mann." She told him bluntly.  
  
"What?" Faith and Bosco both said in unison.  
  
"We have an informant, that is saying that your father is working closely with Donald Mann. Ah…dealing ecstasy out of his place because he owes him money." Cruz watched Bosco closely. "This is our only chance to catch Donald Mann, we just have to gather evidence to hold a charge against him."  
  
Bosco continued looking at Cruz. "I don't know how I could help."  
  
"Did your brother ever mention anything suspicious about him, or your father, did he ever slip up and say something to you."  
  
Bosco closed his eyes for moment trying to remember something. "Mikey was living with him…" Bosco paused to draw in a deep breath at a sudden pain.  
  
"I don't think this is such a good idea Cruz." Sasha said stepping up.  
  
"It's okay." Bosco said. "I don't know much about my father Cruz, so I really can't see me being much help."  
  
"Mikey was dealing for dolphins, and if Donald Mann is a monkey dealer then it doesn't make sense that they would be working together." Cruz said thinking out loud. "There has to be something some kind of connection."  
  
"Well maybe Mikey didn't know his father was dealing but Anthony knew about Mikey dealing the competition and tried to cancel him out." Faith suggested.  
  
"Or it could be that Anthony was working both sides and just trying to work off what owed by working with Mikey as well." Cruz added.  
  
"Guys face it this can go in any direction." Davis said getting into the conversation. "And without proof he's completely innocent."  
  
"Bosco" Cruz said turning her attention back to him. "Did you ever go to his place at any time?"  
  
Bosco nodded. "Once"  
  
"Did you see anything suspicious?"  
  
"Nothing more than the fact that place is worth about 30 times the amount of income I bring in a year." Bosco said. "Other than that I was to pissed at the fact that my family managed to screw me once again to notice anything else."  
  
Cruz looked at him not sure of where else she could go with this. "Okay." She said finally giving up "I'll be back if anything comes up."   
  
Cruz walked over to Faith before leaving. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"  
  
Faith just gave her a questioning look and got up to follow her. "What?"  
  
"Ah…You remember Lester Martin?" Cruz started and Faith nodded yes wondering why she brought him up. "Well his father is using him as his lawyer."  
  
Faith looked at her in shock. "Are you serious? That son of bitch."  
  
"I don't know what this guy has planned. I just hope it doesn't pose a problem." Cruz said before turning to leave.  
  
"Mr. Boscorelli, it's Lester. I have something that may interest that you, it's a brilliant idea. Give me a call we'll talk over lunch." Lester hung up the phone after talking to his answering machine. He looked at a picture of his wife and child that were taken from him, becoming angry as he remembered how they were taken from him. "Yes, I think you will enjoy the plans I have." 


	8. 8

Anthony spied Lester sitting at a table in the restaurant he asked to meet him at. Sitting across from him Anthony asked. "What did you want to talk about?"  
  
"Your son, Maurice." Lester said getting more comfortable.  
  
"What do you want with him?"  
  
"It's not what I want, its what we can do to him." Lester said smiling. Anthony leaned in closer and smiled.  
  
"What can we do?"  
  
Lester opened up a folder so he can take down notes. "Lets see how we can play with his mind." He tapped his pen on the table. "We can use his brothers death even go as far as his mother's death, but lets just start with his brother."  
  
Anthony nodded. "Where do we start?"  
  
Lester smiled and started writing. "He knew about his brother's dealing and drug problems from previous years correct?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"So then we can start with that by saying he didn't do enough to stop him from becoming involved with these people which lead to his death."  
  
"I'm listening."  
  
"Good because I have a lot more to tell you." Lester said while writing more. "Mr. Boscorelli, we are going to be swimming in money when we are done here."  
  
Bosco squirmed around in his bed before finally opening eyes. Looking around the hospital room and noticing that he was alone from what he could see since he was lying down flat on his back made it difficult to scan the whole room.  
  
"Faith?" Bosco whispered when he saw a shadow by the door. The figure walked in a little stopping a few feet from the bed.   
  
"Faith is that you?" Bosco asked unable to make out who was in the room. Bosco lifted his head only catching a glance of the dark dressed figure because it was to painful to hold his head up any longer.  
  
"Who's there?" Bosco said becoming more panicked. An envelope was then thrown and landed on Bosco's chest.  
  
"You'll find out." The figure said evilly and quickly leaving before someone came in.  
  
Bosco picked up the envelope and slowly opened it that produced a letter for him. Bosco held the letter nervously and read it. 'You had the chance to stop Michael, but you failed now people are dead. It's your fault. Your time will come.' Bosco heard familiar voices approaching the door and quickly tucked the note under the covers. Bosco closed his eyes for a second and a couple tears fell from what he read.  
  
"Bosco?" Faith questioned when she saw a tear slip down his cheek.  
  
Bosco looked at Faith than Sasha who was standing beside her. Looking down at where he tucked away the letter. "Did you see him?" He whispered lowly.  
  
Faith looked at Bosco with confused. "See who?"  
  
Bosco thought about his answer carefully before answering, not wanting to sound crazy. "Uh…the doctor." He lied.  
  
"No, why?" Sasha said. "Did you need something?"  
  
Bosco looked at Sasha nervously. "Just wondering if I could get something for the pain."  
  
Sasha glanced at Faith for a moment. "I'll go see if I can find him."  
  
Faith sat on the bed looking at Bosco curiously at his behavior. Bosco moved his hand to where he put the letter to make sure she didn't sit on it.  
  
"Are you okay?" Faith asked curiously. "You seem a little tense, something on your mind?"  
  
"I just hurt, that's all" Bosco said. Faith looked at him curiously and had a feeling there was something more to it.  
  
"Okay." She said quietly taking hold of his hand.  
  
A nurse came from behind Faith making her jump not expecting her to come up behind her. She looked at the monitors and wrote down notes then looked through previously written notes.  
  
"I can't give you anything right now, officer, you were just given something a couple hours ago." The nurse said finally looking at Bosco. "I'll come back in couple hours with some medication, okay."  
  
Ten minutes after the nurse left Bosco fell back into a resting sleep. Faith remained seated on the bed as Bosco slept, removing herself from the bed Faith shifted the top sheet pulling it away from Bosco. Lifting the blanket to cover Bosco back up Faith noticed the piece of paper and picked it up.  
  
"What's that?" Sasha asked noticing Faith reading the paper.  
  
"Oh my God." Faith said silently not wanting to wake Bosco.  
  
"What?" Sasha said getting closer to Faith. Faith handed her the note and looked down at Bosco.  
  
"Oh, Faith we should tell Lieu about this." Sasha said. Faith nodded in agreement and they walked out the room to called Swersky.  
  
Lieutenant Swersky and Sgt. Cruz walked out of the hospital elevator and went towards the nurses desk. Turning the corridor Sasha and Faith caught sight of them and walked towards them.  
  
"Hey thanks for coming." Faith said.  
  
"Yeah sure, what's up?" Cruz asked.  
  
"I found this." Faith started handing her the note. "Someone must of dropped it off. It was with Bosco."  
  
Cruz looked up from the note in shock from what it says. "Did he see who dropped it off?"  
  
"I don't know. I didn't ask, he was sleeping when I found it." Faith said and looked at Sasha. "But he did say when we first got in the room, 'Did you see him?'  
  
"Yeah, and when we asked him what he meant he looked kind of nervous and covered it up by saying that what he meant was the doctor." Sasha continued. "He seemed pretty scared."  
  
"Alright, I'm taking this in to the detectives." Swersky said having heard enough. "I'll have a security guard come down and stand outside his door."  
  
"Thanks Lieu." Faith said as Sasha and herself watched the two walk back towards the elevator.  
  
"Mr. Mann?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You have some visitors,"  
  
Donald Mann smiled evilly. "Let them in."  
  
Donald Mann turned to face his visitors Anthony, Lester, and Lloyd. "What can I do for you?"  
  
"We want to make a deal." Lester said.  
  
"I'm listening."  
  
"We can get you Maurice Boscorelli, hand delivered." Lester told him.  
  
"Please take a seat." Donald said pointing to the couch behind them. "What can I get for you?"  
  
"We will bring him to you for an expense of course, but you will have him. We've already begun."  
  
"How soon?" Donald said becoming more interested.  
  
"As soon as next week. We'll lay low for a while so the police will back off of the current threat we've laid on him."  
  
"You have yourself a deal." He said evilly.  
  
Bosco jerked awake at the sound of something hitting the floor. "Faith?" Bosco asked panicked remembering the last time he woke up and couldn't see anyone else in the room.  
  
Faith stood up from picking up what she dropped and moved towards Bosco. "Hey, sorry I didn't mean to wake you."  
  
"What happened?…what was that noise?" Bosco asked quickly.  
  
Faith sat on the edge on the bed noticing the panic in his voice and took hold of his hand. "Boz, it's okay. I just dropped my book." She brushed his hair back with her finger tips. Looking down at him hesitantly, seeing some of the panic disappear from his eyes.  
  
"Bosco?" Faith started looking into his eyes. "What happened earlier. I mean I found the note. Who brought it?"  
  
Bosco looked at Faith and decided he couldn't lie to her. "I don't know who brought it. I couldn't see him."  
  
Faith could see the sincerity in his eyes and knew he was telling the truth. "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked softly while running her hand down his forearm.  
  
"I don't know." Bosco said becoming teary eyed. "I'm sorry."  
  
Faith wiped away a fallen tear of Bosco's. "You don't have to be sorry, Boz."  
  
"I don't know what I'm doing anymore Faith." Bosco said then drawing in a shaky breath.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Everything keeps going to crap." Bosco said while more warm tears streamed down his.  
  
Faith reached out to catch the tears and moved up the bed a little more so she could lean in and give him a hug. She put a hand behind his head supporting it as he buried face in her shoulder allowing him to cry a few more tears. Faith realized how much she missed the wonderful warm safe feeling she got being so to Bosco. Her mind flashed back 4 years ago went he came to her and revealed all the pain he had been keeping cooped up inside. Faith heard Bosco wince in pain and she pulled back, gently guiding his head back down on the pillow.  
  
"You okay." Faith asked using her thumb to wipe away at the tear stains on his cheeks.   
  
Bosco looked into Faith's eyes that were only inches from his and softly whispered. "Yeah" and continue his stare in her eyes. Faith did the same unable to break the gaze until Bosco shifted his eyes off of her and on to her lips then back at her eyes. Faith moved in a little closer and just brushing her lips across his gently at first. Feeling a connection immediately she didn't even bother pushing herself away and was about to do it again when a voice behind her interrupted her.  
  
"Well isn't this perfect."  
  
Faith looked up surprised at who it was. "Fred!?"  
  
"Always knew something like this would happen. I guess I made the right decision."  
  
"Fred!" Faith said getting more angry at him.  
  
Fred threw down a beige envelope on the bed. "Thanks for ruining our lives, Bosco!" He said with hate.  
  
"Fred! That's enough!" Faith yelled pushing him towards the door.  
  
Bosco closed his eyes as his mind flashbacked almost a year ago. Bosco could feel the air rushing out of him as his body slammed up against the wall being held up by Fred.   
  
Bosco opened his eyes for a second and saw Faith hovering above his face with a frightened expression. Faith watched as Bosco gasped for a single breath that didn't want to come.  
  
"Bosco?" She squeaked out.  
  
With his eyes closed again he saw Fred slam him into the window shattering it and then throwing him down to the floor, yelling 'it's always you!'  
  
"Bosco!" Faith said loudly while keeping both her hands on either side of his trembling head.  
  
Bosco opened his eyes becoming still as he stared into Faith concerned eyes. Faith studied his face noticing his lips were beginning to tinge in a blue color. Faith looked back into his eyes and saw an emptiness beginning to fill them that's when she realized that he wasn't breathing.  
  
"Bosco breathe!" Faith demanded while frantically searching for the call button that was hidden under the covers. "Breathe!"  
  
A voice came over the intercom from hitting the button. "Can I help you?"  
  
"I need help! He can't breathe!"  
  
Faith watched as Bosco started to roll his eyes and his head leaning to the side from not having the strength to hold it up anymore. She grabbed hold of head again. "Bosco please. Breathe, its okay…" Her voice begun to trail off and the next thing he knew was doctors and nurses surrounding him.  
  
The last things he heard before total darkness took over was his own voice when read the note 'It's your fault' and Fred's harsh voice 'Its always you!' 


	9. 9

The darkness succumbed Bosco's mind leaving him to drift further into it but would snap back to reality whenever someone touched him or call his name. A light flashed into his eyes causing him to wince at the brightness bringing him slowly back to consciousness.  
  
"Boz?" A soft voice questioned worriedly.  
  
"Why's it taking so long for him to wake up?" She asked.  
  
"His body and mind is tired. He'll come around." The doctor said while taking down notes and adjusting the oxygen level.  
  
Bosco opened eyes his slightly noticing something covering his mouth and nose he moved his hand to pull it away. "Faith?" Bosco said barely audible.  
  
Taking hold of his hand. "Hey, you're okay." Faith soothed placing the mask back on him.  
  
"Officer, how are you feeling?"  
  
"Like crap." Bosco said pulling away the mask. "what happened?"  
  
"Well judging from your history we believe you had a panic attack." The doctor told placing his pen in his pocket.  
  
"No way, I haven't had one in a few years." Bosco said.  
  
"Well its always possible they could return. Let me know if you need anything." The doctor said while making his way out of the room.  
  
"Thanks." Faith whispered when he walked by. Looking back down at Bosco she caught his gaze. "What?" She said gently with a smile.  
  
"Did I really?" Bosco asked keeping his eyes trained on her.  
  
"Don't worry about that. Just do me a favor and concentrate on getting better." Faith smiled as she watched him nod and close his eyes. "Boz do you remember anything that happened before you passed out."  
  
"I couldn't breathe." Bosco said with his eyes closed.  
  
"Okay, you rest I'll be back in a while." Faith said then kissed his forehead gently.  
  
"Huh…take a look at that." Glen said from the passenger seat to Cruz.  
  
"What?" Cruz asked looking in the direction that he was. "Well look who it is. Why am I not surprised" She said as she watched Lester Martin enter Anthony Boscorelli's apartment building that they have been sitting outside hoping to see some action.  
  
"You want to move on it?"   
  
"No, not yet. We don't have anything to go in on." Cruz stated.   
  
"Wait, I thought you said we were going to do this next week." Anthony said nervously as he paced through the living room.  
  
"There's been a change of plans Lloyd is already on his way. Lets go." Lester said going towards the door.  
  
"Wonder where they're going." Cruz said curiously when she watched Anthony and Lester get in a car together. "Shall we follow?"  
  
"We shall." Glen said with a smile.  
  
Lloyd turned the corridor when he spied Faith leaving and saw the elevator doors close. Walking towards Bosco's room he stopped at one of the carts that carried cloths and other medical supplies.  
  
"This could help." He said to himself picking up a couple cloths.  
  
Turning into his room Lloyd stood up at the head of the bed and leaned in close to his ear. "Up for a road trip officer?"  
  
Bosco opened his eyes to face his intruder. His eyes widen fear when he place a cloth over his mouth and nose and panicked when he begun to drift asleep from the chloroform. Lloyd pulled off his covers quickly and picked him up in his arms. Walking around from the bed one of IV's ripped out of Bosco arm along with wires causing the monitors to go off.  
  
"Shit." He whispered and started walking faster before someone came in but when he got to the door he ran into a nurse.  
  
"What are doing?!" she screeched.  
  
Lloyd dropped Bosco's feet to the ground and aimed his gun at her. "Shut up and get out of the way." Keeping his gun trained on her he back out into the hallway dragging Bosco with him to the stairway.  
  
"Here, help me with him." Lloyd said to Lester and Anthony. The three continued carrying Bosco out the fire exit on the side of the hospital and piled him into the back of the car. "Hurry up we might be being followed!" The car raced out of the area where they were parked and headed to their location where they were to meet Donald Mann's men.  
  
"Where'd they go?" Cruz said when she turned the corner slowly after getting behind in their following escapade.  
  
"I don't see them." Glen said looking out the window keeping his eyes open. "Why would they be bringing us towards Mercy?"  
  
Cruz stopped at a red light and looked at him thinking about it for a minute. "Bosco." She whispered and turned on the siren speeding towards the hospital, just as central came over the radio stating that police were needed on the ICU ward at Mercy Hospital because a guy armed with a weapon had threatened a nurse.   
  
"Damn it." Cruz cursed as she heard the call.  
  
Faith exited the elevator walking towards Bosco's room she could hear the commotion down the hall but because it was in the other direction she didn't think much about it. Faith stopped dead in her tracks when she entered Bosco's room. Her eyes widened in fear and gasped at the empty scene in front of her it all registered to her in small chunks, the sheets pulled back and dragged along the floor, an empty bed, wires and an IV that were once attached to Bosco were now laying on the floor and the bed. Finally releasing the breath she took in Faith dropped the coffee she had in her hand thinking the worst possible scenarios. 'He couldn't of gotten up and walked out' she thought while backing out of the room. Faith quickened her pace down the hall 'did they have to take him back up to surgery' a million thoughts went through her head on the way down to the nurses desk.  
  
"Where is he?" Faith asked almost in tears. "Where's Bosco?"  
  
"We called the police they are on the way?"  
  
"What does that mean? What happened?" Faith said close to a scream now.  
  
"Someone took him, one of my nurses saw him. She was held at gun point while he took Boscorelli." The nurse said pointing to the hysterical nurse sitting in the chair surrounded by other nurses and a doctor.  
  
Faith walked up to her and quickly asked without thinking about her state of mind. "Did you see who did this. Tell me who it was?"  
  
The nurse looked up at her and shook her head nervously and cried at the same time.  
  
"What did he look like?" Faith questioned again.  
  
"Faith, come on back off." Davis said pulling her away when he approached them. "Come talk to me."  
  
Faith looked at Davis as a couple of her own threatening tears fell. "Oh God, I only left for a couple minutes." She said starting to break down at the situation.  
  
"You didn't see what happened?" Davis asked turning Faith to face him.  
  
Faith shook her head no quickly. "No."  
  
"Alright come on take a seat over here." Davis guided Faith to a set of chairs in the hall.  
  
"We have to find him, we have to." She said out loud.  
  
"We will Faith don't worry." Davis said sitting next to her and put an arm around her shoulders.  
  
Lloyd and Anthony dumped Bosco on the floor of basement of the building they were suppose to meet at and proceeded to tie his hands back with rope to a pipe on the floor.  
  
Lester looked up to the three men behind Anthony and Lloyd. "He's all yours."  
  
The men looked over their shoulders and down at Bosco. "Good work, here's your money." One of the guys said while handing Lester a brief case full of money.  
  
"Lets get out of here." Lester said to Lloyd and Anthony. Anthony looked down at his son feeling a small hint of guilt for what he's down.  
  
"Anthony, you coming?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah I'm coming." He said taking one last look at his son.   
  
"Call Mann, I'll deal with him" Darren one of Donald Mann's men said with an evil smile. Darren watched the other two leave and kneelt down beside Bosco's helpless body.   
  
"This should be fun." Darren said to Bosco while rolling him from his side to his back. Darren placed his hand on Bosco's chest grabbing hold of the hospital shirt tearing it away from him. Bosco had begun to stir awake at this motion and the chloroform was beginning to wear off. Darren started to tear back the bandages that covered Bosco's incisions, he looked up into Bosco's face when he heard him moan. Bosco opened his eyes and blinked a couple times trying to focus them.  
  
"Welcome back officer we have a hell of a time planned for you."  
  
Bosco looked at him confused at who he was and then realizing he couldn't move his arms Bosco looked at his busy hands. "What are you doing?" Bosco asked panicked.  
  
"Getting you more comfortable." Darren told him while continuing with the bandages.  
  
"I'm fine the way I am." Bosco said.  
  
"Cute. Damn they know how to wrap people up." Darren said becoming frustrated and decided to just rip the rest of the bandages off.  
  
"Ahh!" Bosco screamed out in pain feeling the bandages rip away from him and one caught on a couple stitches.  
  
"Oh did that hurt, oh well." Darren said in fake sympathy. Darren stood up and walked across the room, Bosco watched as he searched for something in a drawer. "You know your brother was a lot of fun to torture and kill, I wonder if you are just as much fun."  
  
"You son of bitch!" Bosco screamed at him at the mention of his brothers death.  
  
Darren ran over to Bosco and kicked him in the side. "Don't use that tone on me." He said getting close to his face and watched as Bosco breathed heavily from being kicked.  
  
"You see this" Darren said shoving a video tape in Bosco's face. "This is a video of your brothers last couple hours of life. Want to watch"  
  
"You made a video, you're a sick son of a…." Bosco stopped remembering what happened last time and knew he wasn't able to with hold another kick.  
  
"Ah I see you're learning." Darren said while popping in the tape. "Enjoy the movie, sorry I don't have any popcorn" He laughed while he left the room.  
  
'No, no come on man we can work this out, we'll work it out' Bosco listened as he watched his brother plead for his life. 'NOOOO!' Mikey screamed out on the video.  
  
Bosco closed his eyes in horror after watching some of the sick twisted threats being played out against Mikey's will. "NOOO! SHUT IT OFF!" Bosco screamed out as loud as he could not wanting to listen to Mikey's cries and pleads for help any longer. "Oh God" Bosco cried quietly as he was forced to listen the horrifying tape "Mikey I'm so sorry."  
  
"Listen I know this is upsetting but we need to find Officer Boscorelli he's in serious danger." Swersky started talking to the nurse that saw who took Bosco. "Can you describe him to us or pick him out in these pictures?"  
  
Faith stood in the detectives office with them impatiently waiting for her to give them some answers while she started flipping through recent photos. Swersky walked up to Faith.   
  
"I really hope she recognizes him, I don't know how much time we have?" Swersky said with worry for Bosco.  
  
"I know…" Faith started.  
  
"This is him" The nurse said. Swersky and Faith walked over to her and looked at the photo she was pointing to.  
  
"Are you sure?" Swersky questioned while looking at the photo recognizing the person.  
  
"Yes"  
  
"Alright, stay here I'll get someone to take you home." Swersky said taking the photo and quickly making his way to the door.  
  
"Davis Sullivan!" Swersky yelled from the stairs.  
  
"Yes sir." Sully said answering to his calling.  
  
"This is our guy, you recognize him." He said showing them the photo.  
  
"No way, are you sure?" Sully asked.  
  
"Well it would explain his curious fall into the garbage, his curiosity with the hand and torso and the fact there was no one to claim the purse." Davis said.  
  
"Wait who is he?" Faith said in a lost at what's going on.  
  
"He's our purse snatcher, that's how we discovered Mikey's torso."  
  
"Let's go. We're going to where we found the torso. It's the best place I can think of for a search to begin." Swersky said. He radioed in for all units to go to that location to start an area search for a missing Officer. 


	10. 10

Lieutenant Swersky along with other officers from the 55 jumped out of their RMP's as they arrived at the location.  
  
"I want every building in a twenty block radius searched. Abandoned or not I want all the doors knocked down. Lets go!" Swersky yelled to the surrounding officers who then took off. "Yokas your with me and Cruz."  
  
Faith nodded and hurried off with them.  
  
Bosco laid curled up on the floor of the dark basement staring straight ahead after having being forced to watch the horrifying film of his brothers death. The door at the top of stairs opened slamming against the wall causing Bosco to jump in fear at what could happen to him after that video.  
  
"Did you enjoy the movie?" Darren said with a laugh taking a look at Bosco's distressed body.  
  
"Why do you want me?" Bosco asked.  
  
Darren crouched down beside Bosco and took hold of Bosco chin turning his face so he was looking him. "It's not me, it's Donald Mann that wants you."  
  
"Why?" Bosco asked looking into his eyes.  
  
"You killed his son." Darren said while continuing to hold his chin up.  
  
"He killed himself by running."  
  
"True but he wouldn't of had to run if you didn't chase." He said while slowly moving his fingers from Bosco's chin down the side of his neck resting his hand just below Bosco's collarbone and took out a knife from his pocket.  
  
Bosco swallowed nervously at his move afraid to imagine his plans. Bosco stared into his eyes trying to read them but all he could see was the evilness they portrayed. He could feel his hot breath on his face as Darren quietly stared back into his eyes.  
  
"Scared?" He whispered as moved his face closer to Bosco's ear and dragged his free hand through Bosco hair.  
  
Bosco turned his head away when he felt the roughness of Darren's lips press against the side of his neck as he spoke. "Get away from me." Bosco said even though he knew it would probably be useless to say so.  
  
Darren brought his face up so he could look into Bosco's eyes again. "If I had a penny for every time I heard that my dear friend this wouldn't be my business."  
  
Bosco turned his eyes down when he felt Darren begin moving the knife in his hand down his chest lightly tracing the incisions "Bet your real scared now." Darren told him while watching with his own eyes following his hand, smiling at the way Bosco flinched at the touch.  
  
Bosco pulled against the ropes and struggled against the panic that was building. Darren looked up at him as his knife dug a little deeper causing small amounts of blood to appear. "Don't bother your just wasting your energy." He told him looking at his struggling arms.  
  
Getting angry when Bosco made no attempt to stop pulling but starting pulling even harder starting to feel some of the rope loosen, Darren straddled himself across Bosco and grabbed his arms pinning them back. The second he felt the weight of him sitting on him Bosco immediately stopped pulling and looked in horror in his angry eyes.  
  
"I said stop pulling!" Darren said then roughly pulled back some of Bosco's hair "You understand me."  
  
"Yeah" Bosco whispered in pain and tears off fear began to fall.   
  
"Good." Darren said while getting off of his stomach and kneeled back his side looking down at his trembling body. "Don't worry this will all be over with soon."  
  
"Hey Darren." A booming voice came from the top of the stairs.  
  
Darren looked up. "What!"  
  
"You better come take a look at this."  
  
"Take a look at what." Darren said frustrated while using Bosco's chest as support to stand up causing him to yell out in pain.  
  
"There's cops all over the place. They're walking around the streets."  
  
Bosco's attention was caught at this statement .  
  
"What!" Darren yelled than looked down at Bosco. "I'll be back to finish you off." He said.  
  
Bosco watched as he ran up the stairs closing the door behind him and then curled up on his side praying that someone would come to save him.  
  
"Wait up." Cruz said.  
  
Faith stopped and turned to face her shining her flashlight in Cruz's direction. "You see something, do you see him?" She asked quickly walking back to her.  
  
"Shh, since when do abandon warehouse building's have hydro." Cruz whispered. Cruz picked up her radio and called in for officers to meet at there location.  
  
Practically every officer surrounded the building sealing all of the exits to make that no one could get away once they've raided the building. Faith stood across from Cruz with Sully and Davis waiting for the all clear and for her okay to enter.  
  
Faith stood silently praying that Bosco was inside this building also praying that he was alive.  
  
"Go" Cruz said quickly into her radio and an officer kicked in the door. The cops canvassed the first floor and was about to give up hope seeing that no one was around when Davis spotted a shadow on the second floor by the top of the stairs.  
  
"Sul" He whispered quietly pointing up the stairs. Sully nodded at acknowledging his finding but back away quickly behind a wall when he could hear the cocking of a weapon that wasn't their own. Suddenly hails of bullets were wrung out across the hall and the four officers among others took cover in any space they could.  
  
Cruz came out from her spot surprising the one gunmen from behind and shot him once in the head. "One down." She said in her radio.  
  
The officers crept their way down the halls checking rooms one by one until they came to one room that had the light on and door closed. The officers prepared themselves once again for another raid, opening the door to the room they rushed in and forced the two men to the floor of the room.  
  
"What's going, we didn't do anything!" Darren lied from his position.  
  
"You didn't do anything huh. So that's why we nearly had our heads blown just down the hall." Cruz said while cuffing him. "You know Officer Boscorelli?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Don't play stupid with me!" Cruz yelled.  
  
"What's down here!?" Faith yelled back them banging on the locked basement door.  
  
"Nothing!"  
  
"Yeah well then you wouldn't mind us taking a look, where are the keys?" Cruz said.  
  
"I don't have any keys." Darren lied again.  
  
"That's fine, we don't need keys." Davis said walking by picking up a crow bar along the way.  
  
Darren looked at him nervously. "Hey whatever's down is not ours!" He yelled as he watched him pop the lock off.  
  
Opening the door Faith and Davis turned on their flashlights so they could find their way. Faith shone her light from the top of the stairs down to the floor looking over it and stopped when she came across a figure lying curled up in a heap on the floor. Faith's voice got caught in the back of her throat when she ran down the stairs towards him.  
  
Faith fell to her knees at Bosco's back and dropped her flash light in front of him. "Boz?" she called out softly to him while running her hand down his bare back causing Bosco to flinch at the softness of her touch.  
  
"Oh god. Davis! Call EMS." Faith yelled while checking for a pulse and rolled him to his back gently taking notice of the new cuts and some bruises unsure if they were fresh or not. She looked into Bosco sad empty eyes and knew immediately that something horrible happened during the time he was down there. "What happened, are you okay?" Faith asked him quietly but her questions went unanswered as she cut away the ropes with her pocket knife.  
  
"Faith, here cover him in this" Davis told while handing her a blanket that someone grabbed from one of the RMP's.  
  
Faith wrapped the blanket around him and looked into his eyes that continued to study her "Your okay, we are going to get you out of here." She reassured him.  
  
Bosco was released from the hospital 2 weeks later to finish his road to recovery at home. The men that were arrested coughed up information about Donald Mann and where he could be found. He was tracked down by out of state police officers and killed him when he tried to make a run for it. Faith had temporarily moved in with Bosco to help support his recovery and also because she was looking for a different apartment at the time.  
  
Bosco laid flat out on his back quietly staring out into the sun filled window. Feeling the warmth of the summer on his bare chest allowing it to heal his wounds. Bosco continued his silent gaze remembering his time he spent in that basement whenever he closed his eyes he could hear and see the images of that video he was forced to watch. The screaming voice of his brother echoed through out his head.  
  
Faith stood at the door frame of his bedroom watching Bosco with silent eyes as he laid there awake staring out the window. Her eyes traveled his body blushing slightly at view wishing he would talk about what happened in that basement. She had been, along with others, trying to convince him to tell her what had happened but would just brush it off and tell them that nothing had happened and that he was fine.  
  
"Boz?" Faith asked. Noticing Bosco jump she moved in closer. "Sorry, did I scare you?"  
  
Bosco turned his head to face her. "Not really." He whispered.  
  
"You want something to eat? I made lunch." Faith asked.  
  
"No. Thanks. I'm not hungry." Bosco said quietly.  
  
Faith walked all the way into and got up beside Bosco on the bed. "You want to talk about it?"  
  
"There's nothing to talk about." He said turning his eyes away from her.  
  
Faith looked down at him and knew he was hiding something from her but decided that it was up to him to talk about it. "You sure?"  
  
Bosco sat up slowly swinging his legs over the side of the bed readying himself to stand. "I'm sure". Bosco stood to walk out of the room.  
  
"Where you going?" Faith said watching him behind.  
  
"To get something for…" Bosco started. Pausing at the door frame while grabbing hold of it for support as a heaviness grew over him and vivid images of that video flashed before his eyes. Faith noticed his sudden stop and jumped off the bed to go to him.  
  
"Bosco?" Faith questioned worriedly noticing the sweat forming on his forehead and the paleness of his face. "Boz?" She questioned again but this time placing a supportive hand on his back.  
  
Bosco looked at her for a moment once the images went away. "Come on, sit back down. I'll get you something for the pain." Faith convinced him.  
  
After helping Bosco back to the bed she came back with a glass of water and a couple pills. Handing over the pills first than the water. "You need to take it easy Bosco."  
  
Bosco shook his after he finished swallowing. "I'm fine."  
  
Faith smiled at how she knew he would say that. "Yeah well one of those bullets damaged your heart and that's why I'm here, so you can stay in bed and recover."   
  
Bosco just looked at Faith saying nothing more about it. "Can I ask you something?" He while looking down at the glass of water he was holding.  
  
"Yeah, of course you can." Faith told him.  
  
"Why?" 


	11. 11

Faith looked at Bosco confused by his question. "What do you mean?"  
  
Bosco played with the rim of the glass for second before continuing. "Why do you want to be here, with me?"   
  
Unsure of how to answer his question, Faith moved her up beside Bosco. "Because I don't think you should have to do this alone."  
  
Bosco looked up at Faith who had her eyes locked on him. "Thanks" Bosco said while trying to hold back his emotions, remembering the last time she said that to him.  
  
Faith wrapped her arm around Bosco's shoulders pulling him in close to her using her other hand to hold his head against her shoulder. Faith smiled lightly to herself when she felt one of his tears fall down her arm.  
  
"Here's your piece."  
  
"It's been fun boys, but I must be moving on." Lloyd told Anthony and Lester with a smile.  
  
Lester watched as Lloyd left and walked up to Anthony. "What's on your mind Anthony?"  
  
Anthony turned to face him. "What if they suspect us?"  
  
"Well they don't have any proof that we are involved. If they try to convict us then we'll fight them." Lester said and patted him on the back. "And then my friend we will be even more rich. I'll catch you later." He said while leaving the apartment.  
  
Anthony watched as the door closed with a bad feeling about what he got himself involved in.   
  
Faith laid beside a sleeping Bosco with her arm still wrapped around his upper torso. Looking at him sleeping so close to her she found it difficult to take her eyes off of him and was amazed at how comfortable it felt to be this close with him. Faith let eyes travel his bare chest feeling herself blush at the sight she took her attention back to his face when she felt him roll in closer to her and bury his face in her hair that was spread out on the pillow. Faith continued taking in the beautiful sight in front of her until a knock at the door interrupted her. Faith carefully pulled her arm out from under him making sure she didn't wake him and then gingerly got off the bed. Another knock caused Bosco to stir a little so she quicken the pace so she could return to the same sight.  
  
Faith opened the door at the third knock. "Hold on." She mumbled to her as opened it.  
  
Faith stood with her mouth practically dropped to the floor and had to take a second to recollect herself because of how surprised she was to see who was at the door. "Mr. Boscorelli, hi."  
  
Anthony looked back at Faith with nearly the same shock. "Uh, Faith right?"  
  
"Yeah." Faith said stepping out the door and slightly closed it so she wouldn't wake Bosco.  
  
"I…uh…I wasn't sure if anyone would be here." He started nervously when he saw Faith's confused expression on her face to why he would think that nobody would be here.  
  
"Do you want to come in and say Hi" Faith asked politely.  
  
"Say hi to who?"   
  
Faith looked at him really curiously now. "Uh… to your son."  
  
Anthony looked at her as if he was seeing a ghost. "He…he's alive." He whisper lowly to himself.  
  
Faith caught what he said and reached behind back to her off duty gun wondering why he would say something like.  
  
"Uh…I have to go." Anthony said quickly and turned to leave.  
  
Faith instincts kicked in and she pulled out her gun. "Hold up Anthony."   
  
Anthony kept walking a little further. "I said hold up." Faith said a little louder and cocking her gun. Anthony stopped at the sound. "Get on your knees and put your hands behind your head."   
  
Faith walked up him pulling out cell phone at the same time dialing the number to the precinct.   
  
"Yeah, this is Officer Yokas. I'm going to need lieutenant Swersky and cops on 82nd between 2nd and 3rd apartment 1448. It's involving an off duty police officer's case." Faith put away her keeping her gun drawn on Anthony.   
  
About 3 minutes later Sully and Davis along with Lieutenant Swersky showed up.  
  
"Faith. What's going on?" Davis asked walking fast down the hall when he saw her aiming her gun at Anthony.  
  
Faith put her gun away as soon as she saw Davis. "I think he might have something to do with Bosco's kidnapping."  
  
Anthony thought about what Lester said earlier. "You don't any proof that I did it."  
  
"Yeah, well we will see about that."  
  
"Alright, just hold up." Davis said to Faith. "First of all what makes you think he's involved."   
  
"He came knocking on the door expecting no one to be there, then said 'He's not dead?' and tried to get away." Faith said.  
  
Swersky was also listening to what Faith was saying. "Alright we'll take him in and see what we can get from him. Where's Bosco now?"  
  
"He's fine, he's sleeping." Faith said calmly.  
  
"Stay with him Faith. We already got Donald Mann I'm sure there's nothing here to worry about."  
  
Faith closed the apartment door leaning her head against it while locking it she closed her eyes feeling a pit of fear in the back her mind telling her that this is far from being over. Faith's thoughts were interrupted when she heard a soft cry in the background after taking a moment to register the fact that someone was crying inside the apartment she realized it was Bosco. Faith quickly turned the corner to find Bosco curled up in a ball trembling and crying in his sleeping, taking a second to hold her own emotions back she went to the side of the bed and gently placed a hand on the side of Bosco's head stroking his hair.  
  
"Boz, it's okay I'm here" Faith said and watched as Bosco buried his face in his pillow while shedding a few more tears still asleep. Faith rested hand on Bosco's forearm and kneeled beside the bed resting her head just in front of his arm on the mattress.   
  
"God Boz why don't you just let me take away the pain." She whispered while caressing his forearm with her thumb. Faith stayed there until he stopped crying and trembling and then got up and went to the kitchen to make herself some coffee.   
  
Lester watched as Cruz left the room leaving him alone with Anthony. "What the hell were doing going to his place?" he said as quietly as possible.  
  
"I wanted to know if he somehow made it out of there alive, and obviously he did."  
  
Lester let out a deep breath relaxing a little from what has happened. Looking at Anthony he smiled. "Well I guess we get our chance to make more money."  
  
"How's that?"  
  
"We'll fight this. Put you and Officer Boscorelli on the stand and just let me do all the work. Trust me I'm good at making him look like a fool, he has said it himself." Lester said.  
  
Anthony nodded in agreement. "So what's going to happen with me."  
  
"Just lay low and don't open your mouth anymore about this."  
  
Faith brought her coffee with her as she walked back towards Bosco's room pausing at the door frame again when she saw he was awake but lying on his back staring up at the ceiling.  
  
"I woke up to a voice that said something about a road trip." Bosco started as if sensing her silent presence. Faith moved in realizing what he was talking about and took her usual spot on the bed to listen. "The next thing I knew was someone put a cloth over my face that must have had some kind of drug on it because I passed out."  
  
Faith looked down at him encouraging him to continue. "Then what?" She whispered.  
  
"I woke up in a dark basement, I had no idea where I was. Some guy I think his name was Darren was cutting away my shirt and bandages, then he kicked me." Bosco stopped to take a second to compose himself before continuing. "He was looking…uhh…for." Bosco stopped when he remembered the horrible images of the tape.  
  
Faith put a hand on his arm. "It's okay keep going." She said softly.  
  
"He took out this video tape. Faith he made a video. He made me watch it Faith." Bosco said now in tears.  
  
Faith looked at him confused at what he meant. "What did you watch?"  
  
"He made a tape of…of Mikey's death. God Faith he made me watch it." Bosco sobbed as Faith took him into a hug. "I can still hear him screaming, I can still hear him."  
  
"Shh its okay, its okay" Faith soothed as she held onto him. Holding his head against her she kissed his forehead as he continued to cry in her arms. 


	12. 12

Nearly a month later Faith finally found a new apartment only a couple blocks away from Bosco's building so she could conveniently visit him every chance she got. Ever since her divorce became final their friendship renewed to a whole new level even better than what it was before the divorce. Bosco basically opened his door to Faith in every way she could think of to help her get through the finals of the divorce.  
  
"Boz?" Faith called as she walked out of his kitchen with two cups of coffee in her hands. Faith took a seat beside him on the couch. "Are you sure you're ready to go back to work tomorrow?"  
  
"I was assigned to light duty, it's not like I'm going to be chasing bad guys on foot pursuit through out the precinct house." Bosco told her.  
  
Faith watched as Bosco took two prescription pain killers out of the bottle beside him and drink them down with his coffee. She looked at him worriedly. "It's been a month and your still taking those maybe that's a good enough reason to stay home a little longer." She tried to convince him.  
  
Bosco took another sip of coffee. "Have to finish the prescription." He smiled hoping to convince Faith that he was alright and held up the empty bottle.  
  
"Okay, as long as you believe that."  
  
Faith met Bosco the next day at his apartment; waiting for him to get ready. "Come on Bosco we are going to be late."  
  
Bosco walked out of his room carefully throwing duffel bag over his shoulder. "Won't be the first time." He whispered wincing a little.  
  
"You okay?" Faith asked noticing how he looked a little pale. "You look like hell."  
  
"Hell must be a good looking place then." He smiled as he walked up to her ignoring her first question.   
  
Faith just rolled her eyes at his comment and followed him out the door. "You have got to lay off the pain killers cause its making you delusional." She said as she locked the door behind her.  
  
Bosco pushed open the locker room door. "I'm just saying that if you keep driving my car like that you will end up walking to work everyday because I won't have a car for you to drive." He said walking past Davis and Sully to his locker with out acknowledging them.  
  
"Bosco!, I drive just fine." Faith told him following him towards his locker also ignoring Sully and Davis.  
  
Davis looked at the two of them as they continued their conversation while tying his shoe.  
  
"Well it looks like the old Bosco and Faith are back." Sully said walking over to Davis. The two then walked up to the two of them and Davis put a hand on Bosco's shoulder.  
  
"When I can drive again I'm going to teach you have to drive a stick properly." Bosco continued.  
  
"Ahem…Hate to interrupt such a delightful conversation between the two of you but welcome back Bosco." Davis interrupted.  
  
"Yeah welcome back Bosco." Sully added and then looked at Davis. "Well we will see you two in roll call."  
  
"Go easy on her Bosco" Davis said while following Sully hearing him start up from where he left off a long the way.  
  
Bosco stood in the back of the roll call room since there was only one seat left and he let Faith have it. Swersky's voice started to drown out as Bosco started to feel a bit of pain build up and sweat formed on his forehead. Bosco leaned his head back slightly against the wall as his breathing suddenly started to become short and shallow when he tried to control the pain. The haunting voice of his brother's plead for help would become clearer and closer when he closed his eyes. Bosco shot open his eyes at the feeling of the cop that was standing beside hit him on the arm to get his attention.   
  
Looking around the room he realized everyone was staring at him and said the first thing that came to his mind. "What?"  
  
"I was just welcoming you back but since you decided to pull one of your 'I'm going to sleep through roll call' routines it hardly seems necessary. Have a good tour everyone." Swersky finished and everyone got up to leave.  
  
Faith stood up from her seat and caught Bosco's arm to make him face her. "Hey you okay?" She questioned worriedly wondering what just happened in roll call.  
  
"Yeah." Bosco said trying his best to stay calm.  
  
"Okay I'll see you later then." Faith said taking one last look at him before turning to leave.  
  
"Be careful out there." Bosco said watching her leave. Bosco practically ran to the locker thankful that no one was in there he opened his locker and shakily took out the bottle of asprin he had in his locker since he didn't have the prescription anymore and doctors wouldn't renew it. After taking a couple he leaned against the sink and washed some water over his face and looked into the mirror letting out a shaky breath.  
  
After a moment of getting him self together he left the locker room and made his way towards the front desk. Swersky looked up at him as he walked behind it. "What did you forget where the front desk was?"  
  
"Sorry Boss, I had to go to the washroom." Bosco lied.  
  
"Yeah yeah just get to work." Swersky said while walking away from the desk.  
  
"Sure thing Boss."   
  
Sasha pulled up to their call behind 55 Charlie and put the car in park. "So Bosco just couldn't resist getting back." She said while getting out of the car.  
  
"Yeah I know. I still think he came back to soon even though he's behind a desk." Faith said pausing at the bumper of the car waiting for Sasha.  
  
The two walked up to 55 Charlie to find Sully and Davis yelling at both of their perps trying to get them to cooperate.  
  
"Hey what's the problem here?!" Sasha asked loudly over the uncooperative perp who was with Davis. Faith laughed out loud at her comment so she could hear it as she walked to Sully's uncooperative perp.  
  
"Hey Sul, what's up?" Faith said with a big smile still hearing Sasha in the background trying to get the other guy to shut up.  
  
"Well the two pin heads here decide they are going to solve their little fender bender by kicking each others asses in." Sully said starting to get annoyed with his guy he was trying to hold back. Faith just laughed again unable to hold it back when she watched him push the guy against wall again.  
  
Sully shot her a glare of not impressed by how she thinks that this is funny. "Well I'm glad this is amusing to you, Faith but would mind but do me a favor and cuff him so I can throw him in a cell."  
  
"Yeah sure Sully." She said trying to contain another fit of laughter and pulled out her cuffs easily snapping them on him.  
  
Sully then marched him towards the RMPS. "Would you two take pin head number one here back to the house, so we can make it back alive with pin head number two."  
  
Sasha and Faith took hold of the one they were taking and started off to their car. Faith laughed out again when she heard Sully scream for his guy to shut up when he started screaming at the guy they were taking back again as they walked by.  
  
Faith and Sasha were the first to arrive at the house. Walking in they stopped at the desk both with a tight grip on their guy. Faith got up beside Bosco who was standing in front of the desk instead of behind it.  
  
"Your suppose to stand on the other side of the desk Boz." Faith said in tone like he didn't know how to stand at a desk.  
  
"Thank you for the lesson Faith. But Swersky's got me running around and I figured I'd save my self a few stairs. You know taking it easy." He smiled turning to face her.  
  
"Yeah like you city cops don't take it easy enough." The perp spat at Bosco.  
  
Bosco then turned to face him. "Who the hell are you?"   
  
"Your worst enemy." He said.  
  
"Yeah, I'll add you to my list and get back to you." Bosco told him remaining calm.  
  
Faith noticed the expression change on the perps face go from tough to scared and tried her best not to laugh. Faith turned quickly when the doors to the precinct opened and a familiar screaming voice was heard. The guy Sully and Davis had must of gotten a second wind because the next she saw was the guy pull free out of Davis's grasp. He launched himself towards the perp that Faith and Sasha were still holding tightly to fast for them to react, causing their guy to fall backwards pinning Bosco roughly against the desk.  
  
Sully and Davis immediately ran towards the brawl that had started along with many other officers who tried to pull the two apart. At first not registering the fact that Bosco was pinned behind the guy that was getting the shit kicked out him until he yelled out in pain from the pressure that was being held against him. The cops finally pulled the two apart and were taken away to different cells.  
  
Davis looked down Bosco who was still on his knees. "You okay Bosco?" He asked.  
  
Bosco looked up at him and through painful breathes he said. "Yeah, I'm okay." Bosco grabbed the top of the desk to help pull himself up from the floor. Davis grabbed Bosco from under his other arm to help him.  
  
"I said I'm fine" Bosco said pulling away from his grasp and went up the stairs quickly to the locker room.  
  
Faith came back down from putting her guy away. "Where did Bosco go? Is he okay?"  
  
"I don't know he went up to the locker room." Davis said.  
  
Faith walked into the locker room and found Bosco sitting in front of his locker with a water bottle one hand and was gripping the bench with other. With out saying anything at first she sat down beside him; looking at him as he continued to stare at the floor.  
  
"You okay?" She asked.  
  
Bosco nodded. "Yeah just got a little winded."  
  
Faith looked at him as loosened his grip on the bench. "I'm sorry. I should of put him away as soon as I got here."  
  
"Faith there was no way you could of known that would of happened." Bosco said as he stood up putting the asprin and water bottles away trying his best to keep it from Faith's view but Faith took a clear notice of it. "I better get back out there before Lieu bites my head off."  
  
Faith got up off the bench after Bosco left the room keeping her eyes locked on the bottle of asprin and the water bottle. Faith looked at the closed door that Bosco walked out of just a second ago and then looked back at the two bottles worriedly studied them, 'Oh Bosco' she thought of what he might be doing. 


	13. 13

Faith and Bosco walked into the precinct the next day together again.  
  
"Boscorelli!" The desk Sergeant called out when he saw the two of them going up the stairs.  
  
"Yeah?" Bosco answered stopping on the stairs.  
  
"Hold up for minute something came for you."  
  
"I'll see you in the locker room than, Boz." Faith said while continuing to go up the stairs.  
  
"Here it is." He said handing the envelope to Bosco.  
  
Bosco took the envelope wondering who it was from. "Thanks." He started to opened the envelope on the walk back to the locker room.  
  
Bosco took out the letter on the inside and read as he went to his locker sitting on the bench in front of it. Faith watched quietly from her locker as she finished changing noticing his expression change as he read the contents of the letter. She walked over to Bosco standing a few feet from him and was about to say something when he stood up suddenly and rushed out of them room. Faith turned around back to her locker quickly closing it and then rushing out to find him.  
  
"Lieu! You know about this." Bosco said showing him the envelope.  
  
Swersky looked up at him and shook his head. "Yeah his lawyer dropped it off earlier."  
  
"This is a God damn joke!" Bosco screamed.  
  
"Calm down Bosco." He started. "I'm sure it will blow over."  
  
"Hey what's going on?" Faith said finally catching up with Bosco.  
  
"My father's way of showing how much he loves me." Bosco said with sarcasm lifting the envelope once again this time in Faith's direction.  
  
"What's that?" She asked looking at the envelope in his hand.  
  
"My father is suing me, for wrongful accusation against him." Bosco said becoming frustrated.  
  
Faith looked at him confused. "Accusations?"  
  
"Well I apparently I accused him of having a part in Mikey's death and he is not happy about it. Pain and suffering my ass!" Bosco said now starting to pace around. "I should sue him for the pain and suffering of my whole life, I can blame him for all of that. He's the one who's never around, didn't even have the balls to show up at the hospital that night to see if any one was hurt or dead."  
  
"Boz come on, calm down." Faith said walking up next to him brushing her hand along his arm.  
  
"I don't even know why I bother any more." Bosco said quieter before leaving the room.  
  
Faith watched as Bosco walked out of the office and back towards the locker room. "Lieu did you know anything about this before?"  
  
"No, his lawyer dropped it off about an hour ago and that's the first I have heard of anything." He said getting up from his desk. "The hearing is tomorrow."  
  
"That soon? That's a little odd don't you think?" Faith said before leaving.  
  
"Officer Boscorelli, what a pleasure to meet you again." Lester called from a distance in the court building.  
  
Bosco looked across the hall after hearing his name being called. "Son of bitch." He mumbled below his breath. Bosco looked at Faith. "Please tell me he's not representing my father."  
  
"Yes I am" Lester answered before Faith could say anything. "Well I hope your well prepared. I'll see you in there." He said while smiling widely as he walked up Anthony.  
  
Bosco looked at the two of them. "This just keeps better and better."  
  
"Don't worry about it you'll be fine." Faith placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Where the hell is my lawyer?" Bosco asked becoming more nervous.  
  
"He'll be here."  
  
Bosco looked around. "Uh… I'll be back in a minute."  
  
Faith looked at him curiously. "Where you going?"  
  
"Washroom." Bosco said when he turned to leave.  
  
"Hey Faith."  
  
Faith turned her attention from Bosco around to the voice behind her. "Hey guys, you made it."  
  
"Yeah Swersky gave us some time." Davis said.  
  
"Where's he going?" Sully said watching as Bosco walked down the lengthy hall.  
  
"Washroom." Faith said. "Davis would you mind but go down there with him, just keep an eye on him."  
  
"Why?" Davis said confused.  
  
"I think something's wrong with him, but he won't tell me anything." Faith told them.  
  
"What makes you think that?" Sully asked.  
  
"I don't know maybe it's nothing." Faith said looking down the hall expecting Bosco to be walking back down it by now. "Here he comes."  
  
"Hey" Bosco said walking up to the three. "We should get in there."  
  
"Officer Boscorelli. How long have you been a police officer for New York." Lester started when approached Bosco.  
  
"12 years."  
  
"Would you consider yourself a well respected officer that does his job well?" Lester questioned with a smile standing in front of him.  
  
Bosco looked Lester's questioning eyes. "I like to think so."  
  
"Good, that's always good we need cops that can do their jobs properly." Lester said and then turned and pointed to Anthony. "My client here, is he your father?"  
  
Bosco cleared his throat. "Unfortunately." Bosco looked at his father in disgust.  
  
"Unfortunately?! That's a little harsh don't you think? Why don't you like your father." Lester said leaning up against the stand.  
  
"Your honor I don't see how this has anything to do with the case." Bosco's lawyer said standing up.  
  
Lester turned to the judge. "Your honor I'm making a point."  
  
"Well make it faster." The judge said. "You don't have to answer that." He said to Bosco.  
  
"Okay, so Officer Boscorelli basically you do not have a good relationship with your father." Lester said restating his question.  
  
"No I don't." Bosco responded becoming nervous.  
  
Faith, Sully and Davis sat in the back of the courtroom listening intently to the questions and answers.  
  
"What the hell is this guy trying to get at?" Sully asked in a hoarse whisper leaning over to Faith.  
  
"I don't know, but I'm not liking this already." Faith answered keeping her eyes on Bosco.  
  
"Over the years how many drug dealers have you caught?" Lester asked.  
  
"To many to count."  
  
"So than your fairly good at knowing who a dealer is and who isn't?" Lester said happy with the way this is going and smiled towards Anthony.  
  
"Yeah." Bosco simply replied.  
  
"Okay, so how long had your brother been involved in drugs?"  
  
"Too long." Bosco said starting to become annoyed with his on going questions..  
  
Lester placed his hands on the ledge of the stand in front of Bosco so he was looking at him directly. "Long enough to be in it to deep?" He asked in a quieter voice. "Or long enough that it would be nearly impossible for him to back out?"  
  
Bosco stared back at him. "That could have been possible."  
  
Lester let a smile creep onto his face keeping his stance. "When did you learn that your brother was clean?"  
  
"The day before I had learnt that he had been involved in dealing ecstasy." Bosco said still looking into eyes.  
  
"Did you believe him?"  
  
"No."  
  
Lester pushed him self away from the stand and looked towards Faith, Sully and Davis. "Is it true that an anti crime sergeant came to you informing you that your brother was involved in dealing ecstasy?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Did you do anything about it?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not you said you didn't believe him. What made you change your mind?" Lester said turning his attention back to Bosco.  
  
"I guess I wanted to believe him. I wanted to think that maybe I could actually have a real family!" Bosco said becoming upset. "I don't know why."  
  
"But you believed that it was true too late didn't you. After officer Dade was gunned down that same day while your brother was in the car and then you turned to post blame on your father for not doing enough to protect him after he was killed!" Lester yelled back at him not giving Bosco a chance to reply.  
  
"Your honor he is badgering my client!" Bosco's lawyer stood up to say.  
  
Bosco looked around the court room at everyone who was talking now as the judge tried to take order in the room.  
  
"We are going take a 20 minute recess!" The judge said and then stood up to leave the bench.  
  
Bosco stood up and quickly exited the side of the room where no one was going through. Once Faith, Sully and Davis were out in the hall they kept an eye out for Bosco so they could catch up with him. Looking around Faith finally caught sight of him walking towards the other direction down the hall. Faith pushed her way through the crowd keeping an eye on Bosco, once she cleared the crowd she stood in the middle of hall knowing it would be useless to run after him because he was so far down the hall.  
  
"Bosco!" She yelled hoping to get his attention but by the time she called his name he had already walked through the exit. 


	14. 14

Watching the exit door swing close Faith started to make her way down the hall in order to catch up with Bosco.  
  
"Hey Faith!" Davis called stopping her in her tracks.  
  
Faith waited for him to catch up along with Sully. "Did you see where he went?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah he went out that way." Faith said pointing towards the exit.  
  
Faith opened the door and found Bosco sitting on the curb by the side of the building. The three stood by the exit not wanting to believe what they were seeing. Faith finally took seat next to him on the curb while Davis and Sully stood back a little.  
  
"I heard those are bad for you." Faith started directing her comment to the cigarette he was smoking.  
  
Bosco just shrugged at her comment.  
  
"When did you start that habit, I've never seen you smoke before." She asked trying not to sound like she was pestering him.  
  
Bosco stepped on the butt of it and looked straight ahead. "Does it matter?" He asked in a calm voice.  
  
"No, I guess it doesn't."  
  
Bosco pulled up his sleeve to look at his watch. "I have to get back."  
  
Faith watched as he pushed himself up off the curb walking around Sully and Davis to get to the door he came out of.  
  
"He smokes now?" Sully said in gruff voice. Faith just lightly shrugged not bothering to comment anymore on the issue.  
  
Back in the courtroom Faith, Sully and Davis took their seats along with everyone else who was piling in the room. The judge took his seat behind the bench and started the hearing back up.  
  
"Let's try to keep order this time in this room." The judge said before addressing Lester to finish from where he left off.  
  
"Officer Boscorelli, did you at anytime try to find your brother after you were informed by Sgt. Cruz that he was dealing a brand of ecstasy?" Lester asked approaching the stand.  
  
"I went to my father's apartment which was where Mikey was staying at the time."  
  
"Was he there?" Lester asked  
  
"No he was not."  
  
"Did your father inform you at the door or at anytime while you were there that your brother was not home at the time."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"My client here told me that you "invited" yourself in to search through your brothers belongings against his permission to do so. Now, here you are a New York city police officer who has just been informed about a drug dealer, so you go to his place to look for him. You're informed by the owner of the apartment that he is not home but you presume that there are drugs in the apartment. Do you A) barge into the apartment anyways or B) call it in and get a search warrant."  
  
Bosco clinched his jaw together, grinning and shaking his head realizing what he just said.  
  
"Answer the question." The judge said  
  
Bosco sat back in the chair knowing that he screwed up and wasn't going to win this. " You call it in and get a search warrant."  
  
Lester got up closer to stand. "And did you?"  
  
"No"  
  
"Your honor Officer Boscorelli illegally searched my client's apartment and I would like to motion this case to go to trial."  
  
"Motion granted, you will be informed of a trial date and time. Dismissed." The judge informed everyone and stood to leave.  
  
The four cops walked down the stairs in front of the courthouse building towards where they parked their vehicles.  
  
"Officer Boscorelli!" Lester called from the side walk at the bottom of the stairs. "I wanted to thank you for yet again making my job so easy."  
  
Bosco stopped on the sidewalk in front of Lester and was about to say something to him when his father appeared from behind him.  
  
"Hello Maurice." Anthony said.  
  
Bosco just stared at him for a moment while Faith, Sully and Davis watched from behind Bosco. Bosco stepped up closer so he was right in Anthony's face.  
  
"Bosco." Faith walked up beside him placing a hand on his chest and guided him back away from him. "Just leave it alone."  
  
"You go to hell." Bosco told him in low whisper pointing at him.  
  
Davis grabbed hold of one his arms to pull him away. "Bosco come on. Let's get out of here."  
  
Bosco turned around and walked away without Sully, Davis or Faith.  
  
"I hope your proud of yourself." Faith said to the two of them while watching Bosco walk down the street. Faith, Sully and Davis then walked away from to catch up with Bosco.  
  
"Alright that's everything, have a good tour everyone." Swersky said finishing up roll call. "Boscorelli stay behind for a minute."  
  
Bosco just looked up from his seat and remained where he was without saying anything. Swersky came up and sat on the edge of the desk in front of Bosco facing him.  
  
"Look Bosco, I have to pull you off duty for awhile." Swersky started.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It's just until this trial blows over. I wasn't given much of a choice, I'm sorry." He stated. "I'm going to need your badge and your gun."  
  
Bosco stood up without questioning him and pulled out his badge and handed over his weapon, then headed towards the door quietly. Swersky watched with sad eyes as he made his towards the door of the room.  
  
"Bosco." Swersky said standing up, Bosco turned to face him. "You going to be alright, want me to get someone to drive you home."  
  
"No. I'm fine." He said quietly  
  
Bosco stepped outside the precinct and started to walk in the direction of his apartment, but stopped and thought to himself 'why not, its not like things could get worse.' and then turned around and went to his car that Faith drove the two of them to work in. Deciding that he didn't want to go home right away he made his way towards his mothers home to check on it since it was empty and for sale. Bosco parked out front of the house and opened the door to it listening to how loud the door creaked inside the bare house. Bosco stepped in and took a look around the emptiness and the silence of the house brought threatening tears. Stepping into the living area of the house he leaned against the wall and looked the spot where he stood with his mom when he had to tell her that Mikey gone. Leaning his back against the wall he could feel his warm tears beginning to stream down his face as he let himself slide down the wall until he was sitting on the floor of the living area.  
  
Faith jumped out of a taxi in front of Bosco's apartment building after her shift was over that night and looked up and down the street for Bosco's car. When she didn't see it out front she figured he must of parked it in the back lot. Faith made her way up the stairs to his apartment, thinking of the different ways she could yell at him for taking the car on her and for driving in the first place. Opening the door to the apartment she noticed it was dark and quiet inside expect for one small light from the bedroom.  
  
"Bosco." She called out in a normal tone as she walked down the hall and turned into the bedroom. Seeing that he wasn't in the room she turned quickly and flipped the light on to the living room and saw he wasn't there either. Quickening her pace towards the kitchen she flipped on the switch to the light, grabbing the phone and dialed Bosco's cell phone number. "Come on, come on. Pick up." 


	15. 15

Bosco stared at his cell phone as it rang over and over knowing exactly who was calling him. Placing the phone next to him on the floor he continued to ignore the ringing, and took out the aspirin from his pocket swallowing a few. Leaning his head back against the wall he closed his eyes, thankful when he heard the ringing stop.  
  
"Damn it." Faith whispered to her self hitting the end button on the phone. Faith picked up her purse and pulled out her cell phone remembering that Sully and Davis were working over time for a few hours for another team.  
  
"Hey" She said after dialing Davis's cell. "Are you guys busy at the moment?"  
  
"Nah, Faith what's up?"  
  
"I can't get a hold of Bosco and he's not home. I think I might know where he is do you think you can swing by and pick me up?" Faith told him.  
  
"Yeah, sure. You're at Bosco's right?"  
  
"Yeah, thanks. Bye" Faith said hanging up the phone and then exiting the apartment. While waiting for them she decided to try Bosco's phone again, but it only rang endlessly again.  
  
Bosco opened his eyes slightly and started to get up when he heard his phone ringing again but paused when he suddenly felt like he couldn't catch his breath. He sat back down on his butt leaning against wall. Bosco squeezed his eyes closed as the burning images of his mom collapsing in his arms after he told her that Mikey was gone….his mom holding on to his father at the funeral and when he first came to the door and then the horrific images of her trapped under the car and lying on a blood covered gurney flashed quickly through his mind.  
  
Davis looked back through the grate between the bullet proof shield behind his seat. "You can't get a hold of him."  
  
Faith closed her phone. "No. Thanks for coming to get me though guys."  
  
"You really think he went to his mom's place?" Sully asked looking at her through the rear view mirror.  
  
"It's the only place I can think of that he'd be." Faith said looking out the window. "They suspended him, took his badge and gun."  
  
"You're kidding." Davis said surprised at the information. "The city suspended him? For how long?"  
  
"Until the trial is over with, and would depend on how the case goes. Swersky told me earlier that Lester is going to motion to have him pulled off the force."  
  
"Damn." Davis said.  
  
Sully pulled the car up to the sidewalk outside of Bosco's mom's place. "Well there's his car." He said flashing his flashlight as he walked around the car. "Seems to be in one piece."  
  
Faith walked around the car once and then looked at the house. "The house is dark and quiet."  
  
"So?" Sully asked walking up next to her.  
  
Faith thought to herself about how she knew that Bosco is afraid of the dark and knew that he doesn't even stay around his apartment without lights on. "Nothing, never mind. Let's just check it out."  
  
Faith opened the door to the house and allowing Sully and Davis to lead since they had flashlights.  
  
"Boz?" Faith called out softly. "You here?"  
  
Davis rounded the corner going into the living area. He flashed his light along the side of the wall to the left of him. Taking a step he ending up kicking something small that rattled, flashing his light at it he watched as the small bottle rolled away. Davis continued moving the light along the floor and stopped when he caught sight of a hand.  
  
"Ah, shit." Davis said falling to his knees next Bosco. "Faith! Sully!"  
  
Faith rounded the corner following his voice and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw him slowly rolling Bosco on his back.  
  
"He's breathing, its shallow though." Davis said after lowering his ear down to Bosco's face to see if he was breathing. Faith looked at Sully when she heard him calling for EMS over the radio and then got down next to his head.  
  
Faith paced the waiting room in the ER while Davis and Sully sat in the chairs nervously waiting for a doctor to tell them what happened and if he was okay. Faith finally stopped pacing when the door opened and a doctor walked in taking a seat close to Sully and Davis.  
  
"He's okay." The doctor started. "He's awake now."  
  
"What's the 'but' part of this?." Faith asked.  
  
"But I am concerned about something though. We took some blood just as precaution and I found a fair amount of a substance that you would know as aspirin or what would be used in a pain killer." The doctor started. "The thing is there wasn't enough in his system for me to be able to admit him and call it an overdose."  
  
"What does that mean?" Faith asked not quite sure of what he was getting at.  
  
"Well that could mean a couple things. Either he is taking them on a regular basis or he passed out before he could finish the job."  
  
"Bosco wouldn't do that." Faith said.  
  
"Well unless he tells us what happened truthfully about whether or not he did it purposely we'll never know." The doctor told her.  
  
"Then why did he pass out?" Davis asked.  
  
"That's the part I don't know, because it could have been the pain killers that he took or it could something else." The doctor said standing up. "Hopefully you guys can talk to him maybe get him to open up some how." The doctor nodded and smiled before leaving the room.  
  
Bosco sat on the edge of the gurney growing impatient waiting for a nurse to come in so he could get out of there. "Come on." He grumble to himself and then decided to pull the IV out himself. Sliding off the edge of the gurney Bosco heard a voice from the door.  
  
"What are you doing Boz?" Faith asked walking in the room while Sully and Davis stood in the door way blocking it.  
  
Bosco looked up for a moment from taking the hospital gown off. "Going home." He said while putting his shirt on and buttoning it up.  
  
Faith followed him from behind when he walked towards the door. "Well for one I don't think you're suppose to yank out that IV yourself and for two we need to talk."  
  
"Move." Bosco said calmly stopping in front of Davis and Sully, but neither of them moved.  
  
"Boz, we have to talk about this." Faith repeated.  
  
Bosco turned to face her. "I'm not sure what happened Faith. All I remember was hearing my phone ring I went to pick it up and I passed out, honestly guys that's all I know." He told them with his best innocent expression on his face.  
  
Faith gave into that and realized that he wasn't going to say anymore about it and walked up to him. "Okay, lets go home then." She told him and placed her hand behind his shoulder guiding him out the door.  
  
Faith unlocked the door to his apartment allowing Bosco to walk in first. Faith locked the door behind her and silently watched as he flicked the light switch on in the hall and continued down to the couch. Faith stood by him watched as he lent his head back on the couch and rubbed his forehead.  
  
"You want some coffee?" Faith asked and watched as Bosco shook his head no for an answer. Faith sat in front of him on the table. "You okay?"  
  
"Just a headache."  
  
"Maybe you should go lay down then." Faith suggested. Bosco agreed with her suggestion and went off to bed for the night.  
  
A loud noise from the kitchen woke Faith from a peaceful sleep. Getting up she walked towards the kitchen to find Bosco crouched down picking up pieces of a plate wearing only a pair of denim jeans. Faith got down in the same position as him to help pick up some of the pieces.  
  
"Morning" Faith told him.  
  
"Uh, sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." Bosco said after standing up and placing the pieces in the garbage and then lent against the counter.  
  
"You okay? It looks like you just got finished running a marathon." Faith said taking notice of his heavy breathing and paleness.  
  
"Yeah, I just can't seem to get rid of this headache." He said then opened one the drawers to dig through hoping that he might find something to help.  
  
"Boz, why don't you go lay down again and I'll bring you some tea." Faith said noticing the obvious distress in his actions.  
  
Bosco slammed the drawer closed and turned to face her. "I don't need tea. I need something to take something that will take away the pain, Faith." He said loudly.  
  
Faith noticed now that he was trembling slightly and remembered what the doctor said yesterday about how his blood tests showed that he was taking painkillers on a regular basis. "Okay. That's fine, if it's really hurting you then how about if I take you down to the hospital so you can get checked out."  
  
Bosco walked out of the kitchen to grab a shirt and put his shoes on. "I don't need a hospital either. I'm just going to out and get something." He said and walked out the door before Faith could object.  
  
Faith picked up his home phone a dialed a number. "Hey its me….yeah he just left….yeah I do, we gotta do something about this before it gets worse….okay see you in a bit." 


	16. 16

Bosco returned to his apartment a little over a half an hour later, walking in the apartment he noticed the silence that lingered inside.  
  
"Faith?" He called out. Bosco walked in to the kitchen to grab a glass of water when he noticed a note hanging from one of the cupboards. "What's this?" He questioned himself quietly.  
  
"It's for your own good." He read out loud. Suddenly the feeling of several people from behind him grabbed him tackling him to the ground. Bosco started to kick out and struggle against their strong grasps and was about to scream out when someone tied a tight gag around him blocking his voice and then other piece of cloth blocking his vision. Bosco could feel his heart rate increasing in fear as he laid there on his stomach. The next thing he felt was someone placing metal handcuffs roughly on his wrists. Trembling under the hands of his kidnapers he felt a small poke in his left arm and darkness soon succumbed him.  
  
Faith, Davis and Sully stood back up so they were standing straight and looked down at the unconscious Bosco.  
  
"You really think this is the right thing?" Faith asked nervously looking down at Bosco.  
  
Davis picked up the small bag on the counter. "Unless you want this to become the rest of his life then, yeah."  
  
"Is he okay Carlos?" Faith asked as she watched him check his vitals.  
  
"Yeah, his vitals are good but he'll be out for awhile." Carlos said standing up. "Man, I still can't believe that he is abusing those things." He added while looking at the bottle of extra strength aspirin.  
  
"Is he good to go." Sully asked also staring down at Bosco remembering when he went through his problems with alcohol and when their positions were the other way around.  
  
"Yeah, he's good. If need anything let me know, detoxing someone isn't easy." Carlos told him.  
  
Davis and Sully picked up Bosco and started to walk out the kitchen with Faith close behind.  
  
"Yeah we know." Davis said also remembering how it went with Sully.  
  
"Thanks Carlos." Faith said when she locked up the apartment and quickly caught up with Sully and Davis.  
  
Outside Faith piled in the back of the car with Bosco lying across her lap. She looked down at his face and took off the blind fold, his eyes were closed and looked like he was sleeping peacefully. Faith stroked her hand through his hair and lent her ear down to his face just to reassure herself that he was breathing. "You're gonna be okay Boz." She whispered to him quietly.  
  
"You ready?" Sully asked from the drivers seat when he started the engine.  
  
"Absolutely." Faith said continuing to look down at Bosco's face.  
  
Three and a half hours later the three arrived at an all so familiar cabin, north of New York. Sully and Davis laid Bosco down the bed so he could sleep off the rest of the sedative.  
  
"How long did Carlos say this was suppose to take to wear off?" Faith asked kneeling down next Bosco so she could see his face that still had a peaceful sleep expression on it.  
  
"Shouldn't take to long now, he said only a few hours." Davis said and then looked at Sully who was looking around the cabin. "Look familiar?"  
  
"No, it's the same place but it doesn't look the same." Sully said.  
  
"Well, come on lets open some windows and air the place out. At least we aren't doing this in the dead of winter this time." Davis replied and proceeded to open windows with the assistance of Sully.  
  
Faith stayed at Bosco's side a little while longer thinking of the different ways he might react to they were doing when he woke up.  
  
Nearly an hour later Bosco slowly opened his eyes hearing voices of three different people. Voices he recognized, taking a minute to adjust his eyes he laid on his back looking around he tried to figure out where he was. Listening to the conversation that was coming from a different part in the cabin Bosco registered the voices he heard, Faith, Sully and Davis. Bosco swung his legs over the side of the bed and started to get up when something kept him from doing so causing him to fall back onto the bed creating a loud noise.  
  
Faith, Sully and Davis heard the noise and immediately got up to go to Bosco. The three stood a few feet back looking at Bosco who was sitting on the bed with his back facing them.  
  
"You want to let me in on the joke here." Bosco said with out turning to face them and lifted his arm that was handcuffed to the bed.  
  
Davis walked up to him and took out the keys to the handcuffs. "Sorry man but we couldn't risk anything." Davis told him while taking the cuffs off of him.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" Bosco asked while rubbing his wrist that was just previously handcuffed.  
  
"We're helping you." Sully said.  
  
Bosco turned his head to face him. "You…you're going to help me. That's a switch." Bosco stood up from the bed. "I don't need help." He said pointing to himself.  
  
"It was either this or we go to the department and tell them that you have been abusing pain killers." Davis told watching Bosco walk towards the washroom.  
  
Bosco paused and turned to face them. "What? I'm doing what?"  
  
"Boz the doctor told us that he found a large amount pain killers in blood. And I've seen you on more then one occasion take aspirin." Faith told him.  
  
"Really than why didn't he say anything to me about it? Or do anything about it if he thought I was hurting myself."  
  
"He said there wasn't enough in your blood stream for him to be able to hold you for it." Faith answered.  
"So then what's the problem?" Bosco asked.  
  
"The problem? Are you kidding me. Bosco! The problem is what is in your system, what you took is the problem and what you continue to take is the problem." Faith said walking up to him.  
  
Bosco looked at each of their faces and noting the seriousness in Faith's tone. Looking down at the floor in front of him. "I'm not abusing pain killers." He tells them softly then looking up feeling the tears beginning to sting his eyes but not wanting them to fall he sniffs them away. "It really hurts."  
  
"Okay, we believe you man." Davis said. "Come sit down alright." He said taking him by the arm to guide him back to the bed.  
  
"It really hurts. You just don't understand." Bosco said quietly between tears that were now starting to stream down his face.  
  
"We hear you Bosco." Sully started. "How about you just lay down and rest okay."  
  
"No" Bosco mumbled to himself tossing and turning over in the bed. Images of when he was a child flashed in front of him. His father pushing him after he let him in the window to get to this mother. Watching himself chase after his dad down the hallway trying to stop him from going after his mom. Pulling on the sleeve of his shirt screaming for him to stop, his father turned and grabbed him picking him up forcing him to sit inside a dark closet. Sitting there he listened as the screams pierced out of his mother's room, hearing the loud smacks and bangs of everything haunted his ears.  
  
"Noo! Stop!" Bosco screamed. The feeling of someone touching his arm caused him to jump up and out of the bed landing on the floor with a thud.  
  
Faith quickly moved around to the other side of the bed and got down on the floor with him. Reaching she touched his arm again.  
  
"No!" Bosco yelled again jerking away from her grasp.  
  
"Boz! Bosco it's okay." Faith said grabbing hold of him again, when he tried to get out of her grasp again Davis and Sully jumped in helping to hold him still. "Bosco you're safe, wake up!"  
  
Bosco snapped opened his eyes at that comment and quickly sat up looking towards the window. " The window." He said through wide eyes and quick deep breaths.  
  
Davis looked at the window that Bosco was looking at. "What about the window?" He asked in confusion. "What's wrong with it."  
  
Bosco looked Davis in the eyes and said. "Its my fault, its always me."  
  
"I don't understand, what do you mean Boz?" Davis asked even more confused.  
  
"You need to stay away from me." Bosco stated slowly backing away from by sliding along the floor.  
  
"Why would we need to do that, we want to be here." Davis said now becoming extremely curious to his behavior.  
  
"I opened it, don't you understand its always my fault." Bosco said becoming a little more angry now.  
  
"What is? What's your fault?" Faith asked this time.  
  
Bosco looked at her for when she knelt down in front of him and then closed his eyes. "I hurt people." He whispered.  
  
"What?" She questioned looking at him as if he was crazy.  
  
"I opened the window, and he hurt my mom. I didn't protect her, and now she's dead." He said while keeping his eyes closed.  
  
"Bosco your moms death was an accident.…" Faith said before Bosco interrupted.  
  
"No…no it was my fault she would be alive if Mikey wasn't dead…he wouldn't be dead if I didn't screw up as a cop all the time."  
  
"Boz…" Faith started again.  
  
"I got you shot, you almost died because of me!" Bosco yelled interrupting her again.  
  
Faith just looked at him not sure of what to say.  
  
"Don't you understand I'm not a good person." Bosco said standing up and walking away quickly.  
  
"Where you going?" Sully asked noticing that he was heading towards the door.  
  
Bosco opened the door to the cabin and walked out with out answering his question. The three cops followed him out the door but stood by the front of the cabin and watched as he stood looking around realizing that he was in the middle of nowhere.  
  
"What did you forget the cabin was in the middle of nowhere." Sully called out to him. When Bosco didn't respond to him he started to talk again. "You remember when you help me out here…." He started when Bosco interrupted.  
  
"Yeah, you smacked me over the head with a log and told me that my father probably drank to much and beat the crap out of my mother because he couldn't stand having a son like me." Bosco said and took a seat on the ground not facing them.  
  
Sully looked at him stunned because he didn't remember saying that or doing that. "Bosco, if I said those things and did that I'm sorry. I didn't know what I was thinking."  
  
"Whatever it doesn't matter anyways." Bosco said then leaning forward placing head in his hands starting to feel the sharp pain rip through his head. Closing his eyes then opening them again he saw the image of his brother's torso lying in the garbage can on the street as he looked down at it and quickly closed his eyes again.  
  
Faith knelt down in front of Bosco; opening his eyes when he sensed her presence in front of him. Bosco looked into her face seeing the concern written in it made him remember the time when he was being lectured by Swersky and she walked by the window stopping to look at him for a moment before going off to write the sergeant exam.  
"Remember Hobart?" He said only loud enough for her to hear.  
  
"Yeah." Faith whispered back not sure why he was bringing him up.  
  
"Before we went up to the roof he told me that he should just shoot me before I screw up the lives of everyone who loves me." Bosco said and let out a sniffled laugh. " Guess he was right."  
  
"Boz…it's not you." Faith whispered calmly to him taking a seat in front of him.  
  
"Then how else would you explain it, I messed up your life by getting you shot, I messed up my moms by getting her fired, hell I even finally managed to screw myself over so bad that this time they will probably actually fired me." Bosco told her allowing a few tears to fall down his face. "What the hell does it matter anymore."  
  
Faith moved in closer so she could wrap her arms around him allowing him to cry on her shoulder she looked up to see Davis and Sully standing over the two of them.  
  
Bosco woke later on that night in a cold sweat after a terrifying nightmare of his brothers death. Sitting up Bosco wiped away the sweat from his forehead and looked around the quiet dark cabin. A small twinge of panic along with the pressuring pain could be felt building in his chest as the darkness of the cabin seemed to become darker by every minute he continued to sit there. Getting up off the bed Bosco made his way to where a small light was coming from in the kitchen area.  
  
Faith watched from her bed as Bosco got up from the bed. She had laid there most of the night watching helplessly as he tossed and turned in his sleep fighting a nightmare. Faith stood and walked quietly towards the way Bosco went, stopping in her tracks when she saw him sitting in front of light sitting on the table.  
  
"Boz?" she whispered quietly careful not scare him. When he didn't say anything Faith pulled out the chair next to him and sat down.  
  
"I couldn't sleep, did I wake you?" Bosco said when she sat next to him.  
  
"No, I was awake." Faith said quietly.  
  
Bosco continued to look at the light. "I keep seeing it replay over and over. He only wanted to be my brother."  
  
"He got caught up in a bad life Boz, you've known that for a long time." Faith told him glancing at him.  
  
"I should of done more to protect him."  
  
Faith placed her hand on his forearm. "You did what you could. When he came to you, you didn't know. He told you he was clean. Neither of us knew."  
  
Bosco looked at her hand that was still on his arm. "You're still wearing your ring."  
  
"Yeah I know. I guess it's just a part of me that doesn't want to let go." She said while looking down at it also.  
  
"Long history."  
  
Faith smiled at his comment. "Yeah definitely."  
  
Faith's smiled disappeared when she noticed that Bosco was starting to take short shaky breaths along trembling slightly. Stroking the side of face she caught a few of tears hoping to relax him so he wouldn't get worked up.  
  
"Sorry" Bosco whispered.  
  
"It's okay, you don't have to apologize." Faith said taking his trembling hands into her own. Faith waited until it subsided. "You want to go sit on the couch it'll be more comfortable?" Bosco nodded and stood to follow her. After another hour of talking, both of them fell asleep with Faith resting her head against his chest she listened to the continuous rhythm of his heart beat and breathing. 


End file.
